


Not Without You [Chris Evans]

by Rogerthatbarnes



Series: Finding Forever [2]
Category: Marvel, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Choices, Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Heartbreak, Love at First Sight, Tearjerker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-04-30 08:38:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 230,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14493087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogerthatbarnes/pseuds/Rogerthatbarnes
Summary: Love isn't finding someone to live with; it's finding someone you can't live without.





	1. Prologue

Late September 2017  
Sadie's POV

I gave up attempting to make sense of my upcoming filming schedules without a large whiteboard in front of me. I'd agreed to read through several more scripts and there were a couple that I'd really love to do. The problem was that there was nowhere near enough space in my planner for all of the stuff I needed to put in it. I tossed down my pencil in disgust, much to Sebastian's amusement. He looked up from his phone at me as I sighed.

"Sebastian, I'm going to hire an assistant. I can't keep all these schedules straight anymore between my filming projects and the publicity tour for _Infinity War_."

"I told you that you needed one like six months ago," he said, smirking at me.

"Shut up, Stan. No one likes a gloater." I chucked a highlighter at him, which he caught easily and tossed back into the basket with the rest.

"Lucky for you, I put in a request for one already. You've got about a dozen applicants to interview tomorrow."

I looked at him in amazement. "How? When? Why?"

"Who – what – where?" he teased and I rolled my eyes.

"Sebastian – _when_ were you going to tell me this?"

"No later than bedtime...or breakfast," he said, his eyes darkening with desire.

"Don't make me regret agreeing to stay at your place until Chris gets back. How were you planning on convincing me if I hadn't come to that decision on my own today?"

"I have a pretty good imagination, doll."

"I'm aware of that, Sebastian. Remind me again why I put up with you?"

"Sadie Wilson, I adore you," he said, pulling me to my feet and kissing me in a way that was probably illegal somewhere, making me weak in the knees.

"That was a pretty good reminder," I said, resting my face against his chest. "Care to keep reminding me?"

"Are you done playing with your papers?" he asked, kissing down my neck.

"I can be," I replied, willing to be distracted, my hands sliding under his shirt to play with his well defined muscles. I felt him smile before he rubbed his scruff against me and I shoved him away, hating it when he did that.

"Finish what you're doing first, doll."  He smirked, letting go of me to return to where he'd been sitting before. 

"Since when are you the responsible one?" I grumbled as I plopped back down with a sigh, stacking my piles neatly. "Did you really put an ad out for an assistant for me?"

"Yup. Josh and Mark have a bet going to see how long you were going to hold out on this since you refuse to let them do things for you."

I frowned at him. "They weren't hired to do things for me. I know that they will if I ask them nicely, but that isn't their job."

"Mackie owes me $100! I told him that's what you'd say!" Sebastian crowed, tapping at his phone with glee.

"Is the team in on it too? Apparently I'm more predictable than I thought," I muttered, picking up my mess and setting it on the coffee table, unwilling to deal with it any more today.

He looked down at me with a grin. "That's not a bad thing, doll. Us stupid males rely on that to keep us from fucking up too badly."

"Shoulda got that on film," I laughed, unable to keep a straight face.

Sebastian perked up, his lips curving in that crooked grin I loved. "Does that mean you'll do the interviews? Because lets face it – you don't want me picking someone to work with you day in and day out."

"You're right – I don't. There's a reason it was so hard to find someone to play Evie."

"I hadn't found you yet?"

"We'll go with that. I like that reason better," I said as I pulled him to his feet and kissed him.

"So you'll do the interviews?" he asked, stroking my face with one hand as he met my eyes.

"Yes, I'll do the interviews. God knows who you would have stuck me with if I let you and Chris do it."

"How did you know Chris said he'd help?"

I gave Sebastian a look. I knew my guys probably better than they knew themselves when it came to some things – and it helped I had two teenage boys that were younger versions of Chris and Sebastian that did almost everything together. "Do I _look_ like I was born yesterday?"

"Nooo..." he said, trying to decide if that was a trick question.

"It's a good thing you're cute, babe," I said with a smile.

"So you're not mad at me?" he gave me the look my youngest son always tried to use on me.

"Not if I get to take a picture of that look," I said, giving him a devilish grin. "Katie didn't believe me when I told her you try to use it on me too."


	2. They Meet

Megan's POV

I walked out of the Subway station and up to the street, happy to be in the sunshine again. It was starting to warm up, but it was still pretty chilly out - fall having hit New York with a vengeance.

I was only two blocks away from where I was supposed to be going for my interview and luckily I was still ahead of schedule, so I treated myself to a Carmel Mocha from the Starbucks on the corner to finish warming me up. I sipped it as I walked, taking in the bustle around me. I'd never been in this particular part of New York yet, so I was curious about what kind of place the lady I was meeting with worked at.

The personal assistant ad had been pretty vague on the details beyond stating the job requirements - including travel - and it came with great benefits. I was surprised I'd even gotten an interview considering I didn't have any experience as any kind of assistant.

As I came up the last block, I stopped short - the street was completely blocked off and there were _camera crews?_ I didn't see any sign of an accident, let alone anything newsworthy, so I looked a little closer and found that I didn't even see a reporter; I wasn't sure _what_ was going on here.

Perplexed, I pulled out my phone to double-check the address because this couldn't be right. This had to be a movie set or something. I hadn't lived here long enough to know if this was normal or not, but this was the right address. There was an official looking middle aged man at a gate, so I stopped there first and waited for him to acknowledge me.

"Can I help you?" he asked when he looked up from his newspaper.

"Maybe – I'm supposed to meet with Mrs Sadie Wilson at 8:30. Can you point me in the right direction?"

He nodded slightly at the name I mentioned. "What's yer name, kid?"

"Megan Jones," I said, watching as he ticked my name off of a list; if he knew to expect me, I was at the right place after all.

"ID?" I pulled my wallet out of my purse and showed him my drivers license. He nodded and handed me a lanyard. "Keep this on the whole time you're on set. Mrs Wilson is in Mr Stan's trailer. Go down this side two blocks and then take a right. Wait for them to tell you when you can cross and it's the third trailer on the left. Mr Stan's name is on the door. She's expecting you, so just knock, okay?" I nodded once, not entirely sure where I was going, but I'd find it. "When you're done, check out here before you leave."

"I will. Thank you so much, sir," I chirped with a smile.

He smiled in return. "Name's John. Good luck, kid."

"Thanks, John."

I pulled on the lanyard and continued down the sidewalk, following John's directions. They were very accurate and I found myself looking around wide-eyed at everything. I finally managed to cross the set between takes and was looking to the side and counting trailers when I walked into a wall.

The wall turned out to be a large, quite muscular man with warm hands. He'd wrapped his hands around my biceps to keep me from falling when I rebounded off him and pulled me closer to him. I was extremely glad I'd already finished my coffee and gotten rid of the cup or we both would have been wearing it.

"I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't see you there," I said, leaning my head back to look up at him, my eyes wide from the scare.

I was only 5' 3" in shoes, and he had to be at least 6 foot, if not a little more, so I had to look up quite a ways. He had brownish blonde hair combed over in a way that I usually only saw on hipsters, but on him it looked good. He was breathtakingly handsome with the kind of good looks you only saw in magazines and on TV, clean-shaven with a firm jawline. I felt my cheeks getting warm in embarrassment as I stared at him. Inwardly I cringed - I always thought I looked horrible when I blushed; red hair looked dreadful with pink cheeks.

I met his startlingly blue eyes only to find myself inadvertently caught in his gaze. _Damn, those were some beautiful eyes; a person could drown in those eyes._ My heart was pounding hard in my chest, but it wasn't from fright anymore.   

"I noticed," the blond Adonis said in a well modulated baritone as he smiled wider, and so help me God the only way he could have possibly been even more handsome would've been if he had two dimples instead of just one. I was a sucker for a guy with dimples. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, thanks. You?" I managed to say a little breathlessly, having caught a whiff of his cologne. He was holding me so close to him that I was pressed against the hard planes of his chest, his muscles defined by his thin shirt that clung to him like a second skin.

My first thought was that the scent suited him - not overly powerful but still incredibly masculine. My second thought was that I needed to take a step back from him, my neck was bent uncomfortably to look up at him since I was standing so close.

"I'm just fine. I haven't seen you around here before," he mused as he let go of me, sliding his hands slowly down the outside of my arms and simultaneously giving me goosebumps and leaving a trail of heat in the wake of his touch. I had never been so turned on by a guy before and I found it unsettling, to say the least.

"I'm just meeting someone here,"  I replied after a pause, miraculously getting my brain functioning before I blurted out something stupid to this gorgeous man. I bit my lower lip, glancing back up at him. "I should go; I can't be late. Thanks again for catching me."

"You're welcome," he said as I stepped to the side, feeling his eyes on me as I turned my attention to finding where I was supposed to go. I briskly crossed the street and saw the names on the doors. I quickly found the one John had mentioned; I realized I didn't know Mr Stan's first name, but there was only one Stan, so this must be it: _Sebastian Stan_.

I wondered why Mrs Wilson would be asking me to meet her here and I really hoped I was actually interviewing for a personal assistant job and not something else. I'd already had enough excitement for one day. My heartbeat finally started returning to its normal rhythm as I walked up to the screen door and knocked.

 

*           *           *

Chris' POV

I watched the captivating redhead briefly before I headed to the set, trying to figure what it was that drew me to her. I worked day in and day out with a lot of attractive women, but they didn't draw my gaze like she did. I'd noticed that her attention hadn't been focused on where she was going and used that to my advantage, engineering a meeting.

I hadn't been disappointed by the closer look at her. Her long, loose fiery hair framed a delicate heart shaped face, her pale alabaster complexion lightly enhanced by her makeup, not obscured by it. Her wide forest green eyes had golden flecks in them and a depth I hadn't expected; it had been a moment before I could reply to her query.

She was so short - shorter than Scarlett even - that she had to tip her face up to look at me invitingly and I found myself wondering what those full pink lips would taste like as her scent reached me, a heady combination of cinnamon and vanilla that appealed to me in a way that few perfumes did. Between that and the feel of her in my arms, I found myself needing to take a moment before I stepped on the set just to get her out of my head.

She looked intently at the trailer doors before hesitantly aiming for Seb's. I cursed to myself; she must be one of the applicants Sadie was interviewing today for her new personal assistant. Sebastian and I had managed to eliminate a lot of applications just from what was on them – and what wasn't. We knew from experience that there were some things that would be required, including exceptional organizational skills, computers skills, and tact, but there were other requirements that were more specific to this kind of job - being a PA to someone famous. We traveled all over the world constantly for various filming jobs and our PA's came with us, which led to them working odd hours and being away from home for weeks or months at a time.

After weeding out the ones that we knew wouldn't work, we still had a decent sized pile. Of the remaining applicants, they were all pretty much equal in terms of qualifications and abilities, so in the end, it would come down to personality. Sadie got along with almost everyone, but she also needed someone she would be able to trust. The kicker was that whoever she hired needed to interact with Sebastian and I as well. It wouldn't matter how much Sadie liked them if they couldn't deal with either of us; it wouldn't work for long.

From the brief encounter, I already knew this girl wasn't from around here and I'd even bet she was pretty new to New York as well. I got the impression that she had absolutely no idea who I was, which was pretty rare these days. I was just glad I got to dress like a normal person today and not be wearing my usual Captain America suit.

Sighing, I stepped onto the set and headed for the directors. It took a little effort than I liked to push her out of my mind to focus on my upcoming scene with Sebastian and Anthony Mackie. They were already there and bullshitting each other when I reached today's location.

"What took you so long, Chris?" Mackie asked, "We've been waiting for you."

"I ran into one of Sadie's applicants. Why'd you decide to send them here for the interviews, Seb? This is a confusing place on the best of days – and that ain't today."

He shrugged. "Seemed like the best way to do it. If they can't even follow basic directions, they don't belong here."

"I suppose," I mused. "If they don't take one look at this chaos and turn around, they might be fine."

"That too – weed out the unworthy," Sebastian smirked as we roared in laughter at the hammer reference we'd adopted in every way possible ever since we'd first started filming with Hemsworth. "This is our life, like it or not. Sadie keeps saying she's done after this one, but we all know she loves doing this kind of stuff - and I know for a fact she's been given a few more scripts to read and is considering doing one of them for sure."

"Yeah she does," Mackie said, grinning. "I can't wait until that one she did this summer with Kellan comes out. My wife saw the previews and has been waiting for it to come out. She's even coming to the premiere with me she wants to see it that bad. I never would have believed Sadie didn't have any acting experience if I didn't know better."

"I know – her questions give her away, though. What was the last one?" I asked, trying to remember what she'd asked me about. "It was something set related, I think."

"I don't remember, but yeah they do," Sebastian said, laughing. I know she'd asked him some really strange ones before, too. "So what did this chick look like?"

"Ariel," I said, blurting out the name of the first person that came to mind that reminded me of the redhead, "minus the mermaid tail, of course. Long red hair, big green eyes."

"Of all the things you pick to compare a woman to you have to pick _that_ Disney princess?" Sebastian groaned. With a name like Sebastian, it was inevitable that he'd heard every _Little Mermaid_ related joke there was. "Mackie, I nominate you for Scuttle and Jeremy can be Flounder." I laughed as Anthony punched Sebastian, knowing he was being insulted.

"Did she go mute when she met you or break into song?" Jeremy Renner asked with a smirk, earning himself a shoulder punch from Sebastian. "Was she wearing seashells? September's a little cold for them."

Sebastian slugged him again for that remark. "Knock it off, Jer," he growled. "I hate it when you talk like that."

"Why not a princess?" I turned to Jeremy and asked him, "Jer, who's the first woman you think of if I said 'green eyed redhead'?"

"Merida," he said with a smirk, twirling his bow.

"You would, Legolas." I scoffed, using Robert's favorite nickname for him. "Who else?"

"That _Frozen_ Queen chick's sister Annie?" Sebastian said, smirking.

" _Anna_ ," I corrected him. "Get it right, Seb! Haven't you watched it enough with Gracie to know that by now?"

Sadie's year and a half old niece had adopted 'Sebba' - as she called him - as her absolute favorite person in the world, much to my amusement. There was nothing quite like seeing a pink tutu-clad toddler dragging around a grown man who convincingly played a brainwashed metal-armed assassin like he was her personal slave/teddy bear.

"She watches it, I sleep; win – win," he shrugged unconcernedly as we laughed. The Russo's called us to order then, so I had to pay attention to what they were saying.

 

 


	3. Catching Up

Megan's POV

An extremely attractive brunette woman that looked a few years older than me answered my knock almost right away. I held my hand out and introduced myself.

"Hello – I'm Megan Jones."

The brunette smiled warmly and shook my hand firmly. "Sadie Wilson, please come in. You're right on time."

"Thank you," I said, stepping in to the trailer. It was set up like a motor home with a small kitchen area and a table with a bed off to the back. Sadie looked really familiar, I just couldn't place her quite yet.

"So tell me a little about yourself, Megan and then I'll tell you what I'm looking for."

"Okay. I'm originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado. It's about an hour south of Denver." She nodded, so I continued. "I went to college for two years before deciding that I really didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, so I told my parents I didn't want to waste their money and decided to go try a few things before I went back to school. This spring I moved to New York to be a nanny for three great kids, but they ended up leaving the country recently, leaving me at loose ends."

"I see," she nodded understandingly. "Let me tell you a little about myself. I became an actress through a bizarre chain of events. The movies I've been in have done very well and the fans loved my character, so fast forward nine months and two movies later and I'm still playing her, as well as doing a couple other projects, which is why I need an assistant. My calendar has taken on a life of its own and I'm feeling a little... overwhelmed. Between learning lines and multiple film schedules, I just can't keep it all straight anymore."

"Wow, that sounds like a problem," I agreed. "I see why you need a PA."

She took a drink of her coffee and sighed. "There's still more - including press junkets and social commitments, so just managing my daily calendar is a full time job. I don't usually live here in New York; I have two teenage sons that live in South Dakota, which means I travel a lot so I can be with them as much as possible."

"That must be hard, having to be away from them so much," I said, knowing what that was like. I loved my family, but they didn't understand my wanderlust. If I'd stayed at home I'd already be married with at least one kid; instead I was on an adventure, and seeing the world - something I'd always wanted to do.

"It is. I probably should have broke down and done this months ago. Other details - when I'm on set, I need someone to answer my phone for me and sometimes run errands – 12 hour work days just don't leave enough time in the day to accomplish everything I'm used to doing myself. Still interested?"

I nodded. "Yes, I am. So it sounds like you mostly need someone to make sure you're where you're supposed to be and do whatever else needs to be done? Your sons don't need a babysitter anymore, right?"

"That's right. Liam's 16 and Isaac's 14, so no, they really don't need a babysitter. I have family that stay with them when I have to be gone. I'm not going to uproot them and drag them all over the country just because I have to film someplace for a couple weeks."

"Interesting," I said, just as the door opened.

"Knock knock," a tall man around my age said, poking his head in the door.

"Yes, Josh?" Sadie said, looking at him expectantly.

"Chris says you're needed on set, Sadie. The Russo's are making some changes – again."

She sighed. "I'll be right there; same set as yesterday?"

"Yup."

"Sorry about that," Sadie said, standing up. "Why don't you come observe for a little bit, Megan. I'm not sure how long they'll need me for this time so if you have another commitment and can't stay, I certainly understand."

"I'd love to observe, Mrs Wilson. I have the whole day off and I didn't really have time to figure out what was happening earlier when I walked by."

"Call me Sadie, please," she said with a warm smile.

"So is this an action movie they're making?" I asked as I followed her outside.

She smiled widely. "You could say that. It's an Avenger's movie, which is why I'm here."

"I've heard of the Avengers but I've never seen the movie. My parents didn't let us watch anything violent when I lived at home."

"Mov _ies_ ," she said, stressing the plural. "So you have no idea who I am, do you?" she asked with a laugh, guiding us through the maze of trailers and people.

"You look familiar, but no. I wanted to get a first hand impression, not find out what the internet says about you."

"Then you're in for an interesting day, Megan. My character is still pretty minor, so I don't have to be here all the time like some of the others have to."

One of the men beckoned to her and she signaled back to him before turning back to me. "Here's my phone, will you please hold onto it for me? Josh, this is Megan, will you please answer her questions and give her an idea of what it is you all do and how things work on set – I have to get moving," Sadie said, handing me her phone. I made sure it was on silent and extended my hand to Josh.

"Nice to meet you, Josh."

"Likewise. So are you hired yet?"

"No – I don't think so; we didn't get to talk very long before you came in. So what are the basic rules I should know?"

"Keep quiet once they say 'action' and stay out of the actors' ways."

"Got it. Who do you work for?"

"Chris Evans, the blonde in the blue Under Armour shirt; he plays Captain America."

I scanned the group, finding him after a moment. "Oh. I actually ran into him earlier," I said, not saying that I actually collided with him. "He seems nice."       

"He is. Sadie likes to tease him that Cap is just his nice guy side," Josh said with a grin.

"Who are the rest of the people out there?"

"The main ones to know are Sebastian Stan – he's the brunet with the silver arm. The man in the backpack is Anthony Mackie and the one with the bow is Jeremy Renner. The redheaded woman is Scarlett Johannson and the brunette in the red leather jacket is Elizabeth Olsen."

"Have you been with Chris for long?"

"A little over three years now."

"Do you like it?"

"I love it. The hours can get a little long sometimes, but I get to travel a lot and see all kinds of cool places. Chris is a good boss and really easy to get along with and mostly just needs me to take care of his calendar and phone, do some shopping and make sure his bills are taken care of. Where he goes, I go for the most part unless he's going home to Boston for a couple weeks, and then I house-sit and work on correspondence for him. He gets a lot of fan mail and wants to send something back to just about everyone other than the creepers and psychos."

I watched as Chris put his arm around Sadie and said something to make her laugh before she playfully smacked him. "So why is that man wearing a metal arm?"

Josh burst out laughing and gave me a look. "Long story. Haven't you seen the Avengers movies or the Captain America movies?"

"Not yet. I haven't had a lot of time for watching movies lately and my parents wouldn't let me watch violent movies when I lived at home."

"You and my boyfriend have a lot in common then," Josh said. "He hasn't seen them either. Shh, they're almost ready to start."

I watched in fascination as the group of people on the set went through a scene. It was like a dance, everyone had specific motions to go through until someone said 'cut' and they all stopped what they were doing. I peppered Josh with questions between takes because they didn't just do something once, they did it again and again with minor variations. After several times of this, Sadie came over to us.

"I think Joe wants one more and then I'll be done for a while. What do you think?" she asked me, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"That was crazy – how do you all know what you're supposed to be doing and when?"

"Fight training. They work us through these sequences until we can do them in our sleep without the prompts. Thanks, Josh," she said as he handed her a water bottle with a straw in it and she sipped it quickly before handing it back to him to get back into position.

"Can't mess up the make-up," Josh explained with a grin when I shot him a questioning glance. "Vi's orders. I don't mess with Vi – she scares me."

"Good to know. So is there anything that you don't like about this job?"

"Dealing with the reporters and paparazzi. They get a little extreme at times. It didn't take them long to figure out I worked for Chris, so they get pics of me with him and follow me on my errands sometimes. I don't say anything to them without Chris' approval and we all sign nondisclosure agreements so we can't say anything about movies in progress unless it's something the studio okays."

"So no spoilers?"

"Exactly. It's one thing if someone like Chris says something, it's another if I do. He can afford the studio fine – I can't."

"So what did you think, Megan?" Sadie asked when she was done and we headed back to finish my interview.

"That was pretty cool to see," I said as I handed her back her phone. "It didn't ring, but you have a few texts."

"Thanks. So where do you currently work?"

"I'm a waitress at a 50's themed diner on Broadway. I wear this tangerine shirt-dress as a  uniform that clashes horribly with my hair. I thought about dyeing my hair, but I don't look good as a brunette or a blonde."

Sadie laughed. "I should take Chris and Sebastian there sometime; their characters are from the '40's."

"I clearly need to do some homework, but what else would you like to know?"

*         *

I headed home after the interview; Sadie said she'd make a decision after she talked to the rest of the applicants and if I made the cut I'd need to meet Sebastian, Chris and Mark, but I had a good feeling about this. I picked up Chinese from a little place not far from home as a treat. Andy was going to be at work until late, so he'd feed himself.

I kicked off my shoes and looked at the shelves of movies. Sure enough, Andy had a bunch of the superhero movies and I had the whole day off, so I decided to put one in and see what all the fuss was about.

I finished my Mongolian beef and was pleased to see that they'd given me an extra fortune cookie. I crunched on the cookies as I read my fortunes, laughing at their cheesieness: _You will bring sunshine into someone's life_. With hair as red as mine, I brought a lot of sunshine into everyone's life. The other was a total cop out but more fitting: _Life will soon become more interesting._     

I had to admit I actually enjoyed the Iron Man movies, but the Captain America movie was even better. I cried when Steve crashed the plane and again at the end when Steve woke up and ran out into Times Square. I was still sniffling when Andy got home as the credits rolled. It was just so sad that he finally met a girl that he liked and he has to go and do something heroic and stupid that should have killed him.

"What are you doing up, Meg? I thought you had the early shift tomorrow?" he asked as he kicked his shoes off by the door and came into the living room, standing behind the couch.

"I do, I just wanted to finish this movie. It's a lot better than I thought it'd be."

"Which one?"

" _Captain America: The First Avenger_."

"That's one of my favorites. How'd your interview go today?" He asked as he came around the couch and plopped down next to me.

"Good, I think. Sadie was really nice and we got along pretty well."

"Sadie," he repeated, his eyebrows shooting up. "Wait – you interviewed with _the_ Sadie Wilson?"

"Yes," I said, giving him a curious look. "What about it?"

"She's famous, Meg!" he said, talking with his hands excitedly. "She was shot like three times a couple months ago – legit taking bullets meant for Sebastian Stan and Chris Evans. That was right before her big break and now she's the new Hollywood 'It' girl. I heard she's dating Chris Evans."

"Yeah, so?" I asked, snuggling into him and laying my head on his shoulder as we waited for the bonus scenes. Josh had said to watch all the way to the end of the credits because there was always at least one bonus scene as a teaser for the next movie, which was pretty cool.

"Did you get to meet them?" Andy asked, taking my hand in his.

"Just Chris; I walked into him on accident but he was really nice about it."

"You are such a klutz! You walked into Chris Evans?"

"Yeah, I was trying to find where I was supposed to meet Sadie – I actually think that was part of the interview, seeing if we could follow directions, and I didn't see him and walked right into him. He's pretty solid – it was like walking into a wall. After seeing this movie I totally get why – he's so ripped!"

Andy rolled his eyes, his jaw firming. "Moving on – I don't want to hear about another guy's muscles, babe."

"I even got to watch them filming a scene – it was so cool!"

"Do you think you'll get the job?" he asked, playing with a strand of my hair.

"I hope so. The pay's really good and I'd get to travel some more."

"What do you mean travel some more?"

"If I get the job, I'd travel with Sadie wherever she films – here, LA, Australia, Europe – all over! That would be great – I love traveling, Andy."

"Who pays for your tickets and stuff?"

"Sadie. I'd be responsible for booking the tickets and hotels and stuff. I pay for my own food and drinks, obviously, but otherwise she takes care of the big stuff including my hotel rooms."

"Do you have to drive?"

"Maybe sometimes, but I have a license, you know," I said, giving him a look.

He shrugged dismissively. "I forgot you come from someplace where they don't have public transit."

"They do, but my parents liked to travel and it was cheap to have a vehicle in Colorado, so I used to drive a lot. I've never driven in this city, but I could do it. Downtown Denver got a little crazy sometimes, but I did fine."

"Sure you can, babe," he said doubtfully. We fell silent for the bonus scene and I had to admit Chris looked really hot in his boxing gear, not that I was going to say anything to Andy about it. He didn't like it when I checked out other guys, even movie stars. My theory was that I could look, just not touch. I knew they were way out of my league, but I could appreciate a handsome guy just as much as the next girl.

I got up to put the movie away and found myself thinking that Chris looked really hot in everything, though. I'd searched him on IMDB and until then I hadn't realized that he was the same guy as the lead in _Before We Go_ , which I'd watched on Netflix last weekend while Andy was at work. A beard and different hair really changed the way he looked, but those eyes – they were something else.

"I'm going to head to bed. You gonna shower?"

"Yeah. I'll be in in a bit. I just wanna relax for a bit before I come to bed."

"Okay," I said, leaning down to give him a kiss. He lifted his face to meet my lips and then went back to looking at his phone, already busy texting one of his friends. I made sure my alarm on my phone was set and laid out a uniform and underwear for tomorrow. Since I worked at 6, I didn't want to have to wake up Andy by trying to find one in our shared closet when he didn't have to be up for a while. I'd already brushed my teeth, so I hit the lights and crawled into our bed.

 

*          *         *

Chris' POV

I laid in bed with my hands laced behind my head, staring at the ceiling and waiting for my alarm to go off for the day. I wasn't sure why I was awake before my alarm other than I'd went to bed earlier knowing we had to be on set early today for some fight training but I found my thoughts turning back to Ariel again.

I knew that really wasn't her name, but I had absolutely no intention of asking Sadie who she was – one lecture on _that_ was enough. She'd made sure to tell me that any employee of hers was off limits as dating material, and I decided that I'd been alone for too long if that brief chance encounter with her had the ability to give me such a hard-on.

I sighed when my alarm went off and crawled out of bed to get ready for another long day of filming. I went through my morning routine, just drinking a protein shake for breakfast because I didn't feel like making anything and Sadie wasn't here yet. I was glad she'd be back tonight - I'd gotten used to having her around.

My condo felt empty without her - no morning chatter in the kitchen, no female stuff cluttering up my bathroom counter - not even the scent of her perfume lingered in my room since it had been so long since she'd been there. It was nice, having someone to hold at night to keep me calm. The nightmares didn't happen nearly as much as they used to, but it was still more often than I'd like to admit. I knew I wasn't the only one who struggled with them and Sadie stayed with me as much for me as for herself. She'd looked exhausted yesterday by the time we wrapped, but since I hadn't thought I'd be back until today, she was staying with Sebastian for one more night, which was good for her, too.

I drove myself today, not wanting to deal with people yet. Josh was in a good mood when I met up with him. He'd picked me up a coffee from my favorite place near the studio just long enough ago that it was the perfect drinking temperature.

"Thanks, man. What's all on my agenda today?" I asked Josh as we walked to Studio B, quickly finishing my coffee.

"Not much, actually. Only fight training this morning followed by costume and makeup at 8 and shooting from 9 to 6. Lunch is Italian today from the good place. I heard they ordered extra lasagna since they ran out last time."

"Great. I love their lasagna. I'm hoping for cannolis too," I hinted. Josh just snorted and shook his head.

"Yeah man, I know. I already have some being set aside for you. Did you think I forgot how much you love them - even if they aren't allowed on your diet right now?"

"I'll do extra pushups," I promised. "You're the bomb, dude. What did I ever do without you?"

"Your own shopping? I know they're not as good as your Ma's -"

"But they're still pretty freaking good. Next best thing."

"Did Sadie make a decision yet?" Josh asked, knowing I'd talked to her last night after the interviews were over. "The suspense is killing me."

"I hadn't heard anything as of yesterday, so I don't know. I heard some of them even didn't show up."

"Two or three. I wouldn't be surprised if they took one look at the craziness that goes on around here and changed their minds about being interested," he said, making a gesture to the swarm of people getting a set ready.

"I suppose. Did you meet many of them? I saw Sadie brought Ariel with her when she came to the set."

"Ariel?" he asked, his brows drawn in confusion. "Who's Ariel?"

"The redhead," I said, flushing at the nickname I'd given her. "I didn't catch her real name. Tiny little thing with big green eyes?"

"Oh, you mean Megan," Josh said, snapping his fingers. Megan, that was a nice name. I still preferred Ariel, but she probably wouldn't. "I get where you're coming from, though - those eyes, man. Never seen a green like that before. No, she's the only one I met because I had to bring Sadie to the set and interrupted them. I saw a couple of the others, but they were in and out of the trailer pretty quick."

"I guess we'll have to wait and see then," I said with a sigh.

We walked into the Studio and I started getting warmed up while I waited for Sebastian and Anthony Mackie to get here. I was a little ahead of schedule today, so I was already done warming up by the time they showed up.

"Hey man," Mackie said as he came in yawning. "How's it going?"

"Good. Why're you so late today?"

"I'm on time – Stan's the late one. Where the hell is he?"

"Don't know. Haven't seen him yet today," I looked around to see Sebastian's assistant standing next to Josh on the sidelines. "Mark, what did you do with Seb?" I called out to him.

"Poisoned him," he said as I shook my head. He was just as big of smartass as Sebastian, which is probably why they got along so well. Looking up from his phone, he walked over to us so he didn't have to shout across the room. "Sadie grabbed him to meet some girls. Said she needed his opinion."

"So she's narrowed down the field and wants to make sure Seb doesn't hate any of them," I translated.

"Yup. That," Mark said with a smirk. "Better him than me."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," I said. "You know she's going to want your opinion too because you're gunna have to work with closely whoever it is."

"Bite your tongue, Evans. As long as she isn't incompetent, I'm good. You all know Seb's the picky one, not me," Mark said, putting one hand over his heart in a gesture of sincerity, making us laugh. We all knew that wasn't the truth.

"Pretty sure it's the other way around, Mark," Mackie chuckled. "Nice try."

"So?" I asked Sebastian when he finally stormed into training, looking more _Winter Soldier_ than he had in a long time and people cleared a path for him. "Any luck?"

"Only if I wanted Sadie pissed at me!" he snapped as he ran his hand over his face, disgust being his primary expression. "I have no idea how those fucking whores acted yesterday to get a callback, but today they were just total bitches, trying to hardcore flirt with me in front of Sadie."

"That bad?" I winced, raising my eyebrows. That explained why he was more pissed off than I'd seen in a while. He was one of the mildest people I knew, which I why I found it amazing how believably he played the Soldier - to the point that people would actually be afraid of him. I knew Sebastian was head over heels for Sadie and anyone trying to get in between them would not be in his good graces.

"Just be glad you didn't have to meet them, man." He shuddered and got into position for training, skipping the warmup. "You know they're always worse around you."

"Don't remind me," I groaned. "How many more do you have to meet?"

"Just one. I think Sadie's already made up her mind and just wanted to be sure."

"She's a pretty good judge of character," I said, putting the rubber shield on my arm. "Was this just to eliminate the maybes?"

"I think so. She didn't sound very excited by either of the two I met, so maybe she's saving the best for last?"

 

*          *          *

Megan's POV

My phone buzzed shortly after I got to work with a text from Sadie. I snuck my phone out to check it while I waited for the rest of an order since cell phones didn't exactly fit in with the '50's motif.

**_Hey Megan, I know you're_ ** **_working today, but would_ ** **_you have time to meet with_ ** **_Sebastian and Chris later_ ** **_today?_ **

I was super excited – I'd made the first cut, now I just had to ace this last part of the interview.

"Good news, sugar?" Emma asked, coming up next to me to start loading her tray with plates. "You look like you're ready to do a happy dance." She snapped her gum at me and I grinned. I was in such a good mood right now that even her gum snapping didn't bother me like it normally did.

"Yeah! Great news! I got a callback from that interview I went to yesterday." Most of the girls I worked with were actresses or showgirls, so they were all good about helping each other out if one of us had an audition or casting call.

"That's great! Do you need to leave early today?"

"Don't know yet. I'll tell you in a minute, Em."

I went back into the kitchen so I could reply, typing fast. _Sure - where and when?_   The details came through right after that, so I sent her a thumb's up emoji in reply. I came back out of the kitchen and started loading my tray.

"Thanks for the offer Em, but it's not until after my shift's over. It's pretty thoughtful of her to not insist I drop everything to meet up with her. I really hope I get this job. She's super nice."

"You will, Meg – how can you not be perfect for it? It's like the ad was written with you in mind or something."

"I didn't tell you about the hottie I met, did I?" I said as I walked away from the window.

"Tell me more, tell me more," Emma sang, and I could hear the smile in her voice. "Better yet, show me a picture of this dreamboat." I laughed at her attempt to use more old slang before giving my customers my full attention for a bit.

I decided to shower as soon as I got home. The worst thing about working at the diner was smelling like greasy food. I decided to scrub good to get all of the smell off me and mixed a little of my favorite vanilla sugar cookie Bath and Bodyworks lotion in with my body lotion. I knew Sadie didn't like strong perfumes, but I didn't either. Scented lotion or body spray was usually more than enough for me.

Since I had plenty of time yet, I blow-dried my hair, using my hairbrush to straighten it. It wasn't curly, but it had some wave to it so if I didn't pull it back or use heat on it, it didn't always do what I wanted it to.

I put on some dark washed skinny jeans and a cute sage green flowy top that brought out my eyes and set an alarm on my phone just in case I fell asleep. It wouldn't take me long to finish getting ready, but I knew it would take me at least 20 minutes to get to the pizza place.

I put in the first Avengers movie and immediately became engrossed in it. I had originally thought these superhero movie were just all about the action, but there was a great human story behind it. I could see why these movies were so popular – and why everyone made such a big deal about Loki - he made a great villain. I hadn't seen the Thor movies because Andy didn't have them, but I totally bought in to his performance. I was glad I hadn't done my makeup yet when I found myself crying as Phil Coulson died.

I decided I needed to watch this one again before moving on to the next one. There was a lot going on in this movie and I wasn't really sure I'd made all the connections I was supposed to. I restarted it, going to apply my make up while it got to the opening sequence.

I made it to Franny's a little before 7 and spent a minute looking around before I saw Sadie at a table in the back. She hopped up and came over to me, smiling happily.

"Megan, I'm so glad you could make it. I love that shirt – it looks so comfy."

"It is. I bought one in every color they had because I love how soft it is. Thanks for the callback, Sadie."

"Why don't you come meet everyone? We called in our usual order ahead of time because it's usually even busier than it is tonight, but if there's something else you prefer -"

"No, I eat just about any kind of pizza as long as it's not the frozen kind. I've had enough of that to last me a lifetime."

She laughed and led me back to the table to introduced me. Sebastian Stan was pretty handsome with his longer hair and at least a couple week's growth, but I actually preferred his clean-shaven '40's Bucky look to his current look. He kissed my hand, which made me look at Sadie in confusion, but she only shook her head.

"Sebastian, quit embarrassing the girl. Megan, this is Mark, Sebastian's assistant."

Mark was a lot like Josh, giving me a smile and shaking my hand before turning his attention back to his phone, clearly in the middle of something.

"Nice to meet you," I said as I took the seat offered to me and took a drink of the beer Sadie handed me. "So I have to admit that I had to go home and start watching the Marvel movies after I left yesterday because I actually had no idea who you were."

Sebastian laughed, "Where'd you start at? Have you seen me yet?"

"Yes, I saw 1940's you. I started with Iron Man 1 and 2, then Captain America and I just finished the Avengers. I think the Hulk one and the Thor ones are supposed to be in there somewhere but Andy didn't have them."

Mark chuckled. "Did you find the official watching order online?"

"Yeah. Otherwise I wouldn't have known where to start," I admitted.

"So what did you think? Too violent?" Sadie asked. "And who's Andy?"

"Andy's my boyfriend. I wish I'd seen them in theater," I said with a grin. "Well some of them are pretty violent, but it's the good versus evil kind, not the 'I'm going to beat the crap out of someone just because I can' kind of violence."

"Doll, how on earth did you find the one person in New York that didn't have any idea of who we are?" Sebastian asked Sadie, putting his arm around her. She leaned over and patted his cheek.

"Quit pretending you don't like the attention, Bucky," she teased him.

"Hey Punk! Just in time," Sebastian said, talking to someone behind me and handing them a Sam Adams. "Food's not here yet." I turned to see who it was only to realize to have my heart skip a beat as those beautiful steel blue eyes met mine.

"Sorry I'm late," he said with an apologetic smile. "It took me forever to get off the phone." He came around to Sadie, hugging her and giving her a kiss on the top of her head. "Ma wants to know when you're bringing the boys to come visit, doll."

"I'll talk to you later on that," Sadie said with a quirk of her lips. "Chris this is Megan, Megan this is Chris Evans, one of my best friends."

"Hello again," Chris said as he took the open seat next to me and held out his hand. "It's nice to have a name to go with the face this time."

I shook his hand, unsurprised when his large hand engulfed my own easily, a little spark of electricity running up my arm at the contact, startling the butterflies in my tummy. "Likewise," I managed to say politely, mentally telling myself that he was out of my league. Scratch that - he was out of my universe. "Nice to meet you."

"Wait, so _she's_ Ariel, right?" Sebastian asked, breaking the moment with a wide, mischievous grin. Mark laughed, clearly in on the joke. I was almost certain Chris kicked Sebastian under the table, which would have been more amusing if I wasn't sure if I was being insulted or not.

"What?" I asked, glancing over at Chris in confusion, taking my hand back that he hadn't released. 

" _Ariel?"_ Sadie asked in disbelief, giving Chris a look. "Really, Chris? Surely you could've come up with something more original than that! Do I want to know what you guys were talking about?"

"Nothing bad. While we were waiting for you to come to the set yesterday, I asked Boo Bear if he'd met any of your applicants," Chris said, flashing Sebastian a grin.

 _Boo Bear? Must be an inside joke,_ I thought, realizing he meant Sebastian, who didn't look offended, so he must be used to it.

"And I said I hadn't but Punk said he'd only met Ariel here," Sebastian cut in, gesturing to me.

"That was the first green-eyed redhead that came to mind," Chris explained, a slight flush on his cheeks. "Since I didn't know your name at the time."

"Ariel actually has blue eyes, just so you know," I said, finally finding my voice again. "I suppose I should be glad you didn't go for Merida." I gave a little shrug, pretending it didn't bother me, but it did a little. I got that a lot, the way my hair looked when it was down - I guess I just thought he'd be different. I turned to Sadie and let my hair fall forward, hiding him from my eyes. "I was so glad I didn't have curly hair when _Brave_ came out."

Sadie smiled wryly. "I personally would have pick Anna from _Frozen_ ," she said, making me smile again. That was a comparison I didn't mind as much, liking the quirky princess. "But _The Little Mermaid_ has always been one of Chris' favorites."

"How'd you know that, doll?" Sebastian asked, raising an eyebrow at her. I couldn't help but smile; they both really did call her 'Doll' like actual '40's guys. I can't say I'd ever heard _that_ outside of the diner before.

"How do you not? He's your best friend too." She laughed at him, rolling her eyes before she looked over at me. "We spend a lot of time on planes, so we've been working our way through the Disney classics again."

"I suppose Potterheads go for Ginny?" Mark asked with a grin.

I sighed. "Yup. Thank goodness I was just in elementary school when the first ones came out. It wasn't until I was in middle school that I heard _that_ comparison."

 


	4. Making Plans

Chris' POV

"What is she, Katie's age?" Sebastian asked Sadie after openly studying Megan.

"Jeff's. Why?"

"Just wondering," he said, glancing over at me.

I shook my head at him, knowing what he was getting at. If she was the same age as Sadie's baby brother, that meant she was at least 12 years younger than me, which was too big of an age gap for me to consider even if Sadie hadn't made it clear her PA was off limits.

I took a drink of my beer and tried to ignore the light vanilla and cinnamon smell coming from the woman next to me but failed completely as her proximity aroused me yet again. How the woman managed to smell so damn delicious was beyond me.

I'd really put my foot in my mouth this time. I got the impression that Megan didn't really care much for my mermaid comparison when she'd let her hair fall forward deliberately, hiding her beautifully expressive face from me.

My thoughts wandered and I thought about Sadie and Sebastian's relationship. It had been obvious to me that Sebastian had been head over heels for Sadie since they day he'd met her, and I didn't think that would ever change. Circumstances had forced him to learn how to be her friend first, but they were on their way to being more than that now. If I were completely honest, I wanted that for myself – someone that looked at me like Sadie looked at Sebastian - like he was the only man in the world.

I laughed as Sebastian told a funny story; he was in a much better mood now that Sadie was finally letting him take her out when she was in town - we both knew it was a big step for her to take. It had only been a couple months since Justin had passed away and she was still grieving. She wasn't really comfortable with going out with Sebastian alone yet, partly because of how much attention they got from the paparazzi and partly because of how intense he could be around her.

I'd actually been glad when Sadie said she wanted my opinion on her last applicant; I hadn't been looking forward to eating alone tonight. She'd already eliminated the others and was pretty sure this girl was the one she wanted, so I agreed, curious to meet her.

I joined into the conversation, listening to Sadie's answers and getting to know more about Megan until the food arrived. We quickly divvied it up, Sebastian and I each putting away an impressive amount of pizza. We were both in peak condition, requiring a large amount of calories to maintain muscle mass; the physical demand of our jobs really gave us an appetite. Beer and pizza weren't exactly on our diets right now, but a cheat day every now and again was good.

"Where are you putting all that, Mr Evans?" Megan teased, finally speaking to me as I polished off my last slice. She'd pushed her hair back again when the pizza came but hadn't directly addressed me until now.

I gave her a grin. "Call me Chris. Mr Evans is my dad."

"All right - Chris," she said, and I liked the way she said my name.

"Well, it's not Leonardo's pizza, but it's still pretty good. Sorry about earlier – I didn't mean to insult you or anything by calling you Ariel."

"Apology accepted. You kind of caught me by surprise there."

"I could see that. So you really didn't know who I was when you ran into me yesterday?"

"Nope," she said, taking a bite to give her time to think. "I saw _Before We Go_ not very long ago, but I didn't put two and two together right away. I just watched _Captain America_ for the first time yesterday and _The Avengers_ today. You look like a completely different guy with the beard, by the way. Not sure how that's possible, but it's true."

"Less people recognize me with the beard these days," I said with a shrug.

"It should be a crime to hide that jawline," Sadie quickly put in, making Megan smile.

"Sadie hates my beard," I explained as I rolled my eyes at Sadie, who only laughed.

"Sadie hates all beards," Sebastian clarified. "Not just ours."

"Yes I do - other than Robert's because he just looks wrong without it. I can't wait until you can shave again, Sebastian," she said as she ran her hand over his scruffy face. Sebastian made a move to rub his beard over Sadie's skin - which she hated - but she stopped him with a look.

"So facial hair isn't your choice?" Megan asked, dabbing at her lips with a napkin and hiding a grin.

"Not when the directors tells us what they want our character to look like it isn't," I said. "I have to keep dying my hair blond, too."

Megan cocked her head at me and studied me for a moment. "You make a convincing blond, but it's not a bleached blond – it's more of a dishwater blond."

"You sound like Sadie," I said, glancing at her.

"Is that a bad thing?" she asked before taking another bite.

"No, not at all. Where are you from originally?"

"Colorado."

"How'd you wind up here, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I took a couple years off from college to figure out what I want to do with my life. I finished my generals but I just couldn't decide what to go into, so I've done some traveling and tried a few different jobs, sometimes staying with family, sometimes with college friends." She paused to take a drink of her beer before continuing. "I came to New York as a nanny for a couple that had one boy and twin girls – all under five – and I was with them for about six months before the dad got a big promotion. They had to move to England for his job, so the mom decided she was going to stay home for a while until they got everything all settled. The boy started school, so she thought she could handle the twins on her own. Otherwise, I was originally planning on going with them. They just left last month."

"So what have you been doing since then?" Sebastian asked, leaning back in his seat and setting his arm on the back of Sadie's chair.

"I've been working at a '50's diner on Broadway."

"That's quite the change of pace," I said with a smile.

She shrugged. "Not really. Customers are just as demanding as toddlers, wanting everything 'just so' a lot of the time. I'm pretty good at it, though now that I've got the lingo figured out. We use a fair amount of it, actually."

"50's slang or diner slang?" I asked.

"Both."

I found myself thinking that it was really nice talking to Megan. She reminded me a lot of Sadie back when I first met her, just younger – a lot younger. From what I'd seen so far, I thought she'd get along fine with Sadie. She was nice, polite, and seemed like she had a good head on her shoulders. I could tell Sebastian and Mark both thought she was okay, too or they would have tried to wrap things up by now.

When Megan excused herself to go wash up after she got marinara on her hands, Sebastian and I traded glances. Sadie waited until she was out of earshot before looking at us and asking, "Well?"

"I think she'll do fine," Mark said. "She's not drooling over either of you and while she's got a lot to learn, Josh and I can help train her. Josh said he likes her better than the other twits he met earlier today and I have to agree."

Sadie winced. "Yeah, I can't say either of those other second meetings went very well. That wasn't what they acted like yesterday when I interviewed them. What kind of idiot thinks I'm actually going to hire someone who flirts with my coworkers in front of me? I'm glad you weren't there, Chris. You know they're always worse around you."

I snorted. I'd heard Sebastian ranting about it this morning, so I had a fairly good idea of how bad it'd been. The bimbo, as he'd referred to her, had been the worst and the other girl had been almost as bad. I had to give it to Sadie, she wasn't stupid by any means. By now, it was obvious that Megan had no interest in Sebastian other than as a friend. I wasn't even sure she was interested in me, other than I knew she found me attractive.

"Hence the second meetings for what we'd call a chemistry read," Sebastian said, nodding thoughtfully. "I like her just fine, doll. She talks like you and thinks kind of like you and Katie. Maybe it'll be better for you to have someone from closer to home around – you won't get quite so homesick then."

"Chris, what do you think?" Sadie asked when I didn't say anything right away. Her beautiful golden brown eyes searched my face briefly and I wondered what she saw.

"I've got nothing against her," I said. "I'm just glad you've finally found someone you like. We were worried we'd have to open it up again for more applicants. She's young, but I think she'll do fine once she gets things figured out. Thanks for supper, but I better go. I've got to get my workout in yet tonight."

Sadie stood up, giving me a quick hug and kissing my cheek before letting go of me. "Thanks for coming; I'll see you when I get back to your place. Maybe you'll beat me home."

"Don't count on it, but it'll be a short one tonight since I have more fight training tomorrow," I said, giving her my best Steve Rogers smile before bumping fists with Sebastian. "Night Jerk. See you tomorrow morning. Don't be late this time!"

"Bye Punk," Seb said, giving me a look. I knew he'd seen the way I'd looked at Megan, so I flipped him off, making him and Mark both laugh as I headed out the door before Megan came back.

 

*         *          *

Megan's POV

It was later than I thought by the time we got the details worked out and I got home from Franny's. Andy was already there, changed out of his work clothes and waiting for me with a beer in his hand and a couple empties on the coffee table. Some of the happiness drained out of me as I tried to gauge his mood – a drinking Andy wasn't usually a nice Andy, but it didn't look like he'd had enough to get drunk yet, so maybe it would be all right.

"Where've you been?" he said, the slur in his words making me change my evaluation of his mood as I shut and locked the door. "I got off early and you weren't here when I got home."

I set my purse and phone down on the bookcase and walked into the living room. "I had a callback for the personal assistant job, Andy. I didn't think you'd beat me home so I didn't want to bother you. I know you can't really look at your phone while you're at work, so normally by the time you got the message, I'd already be home."

"Oh," he said after a moment, turning to look at me, a sneer forming on his face. "You wore _that_ to a callback?"

"Why not?" I asked, unable to keep the hurt from my voice. I hated it when he criticized me like that. "Sadie said to dress casual since we were meeting at Franny's for pizza."

"Joe's is better," he said with a shrug, tapping at his phone and replying to a text. "So did you get it?"

"Yeah, I did!"

"Good for you, Meggy."

I frowned. "Andy, you know I hate it when you call me that." It was the one thing I refused to answer to from day one.

"It has a nice ring to it; An-dy and Meg-gy," he drawled as I walked around the couch to stand in front of him. One look in his bloodshot eyes told me everything I needed to know.

"Andy, are you high?"

"As a fucking kite," he said, pulling out a joint out of his shirt pocket and sniffing it. "Me and Seth had a couple at his place with some beers."

I took the joint away and tossed it on the coffee table. "Don't smoke that here; you know how sick that makes me! What time did you get off?"

"7. No fucking overtime this week so that means I don' hafta go in fucking early tomorrow," Andy said, belching loudly as he finished his beer and handed it to me. The drunker he was, the crasser his language and behavior became.

"Well, I still have to work at 6 am tomorrow, so I need to get ready for bed." I set the empty bottle down and turned to walk away from him. "Night Andy."

"I'm goin' back to Seth's if you're jus' gunna be like that, Meggy," he sneered as he caught me by the wrist, getting up faster than I thought he could. He moved to kiss me, but I could smell the weed on his breath and clapped a hand over my face, fighting with my churning stomach. I hated the smell of weed - it made me want to puke, always had.

"Let go of me, Andy," I pleaded, unsuccessfully trying to push him away from me. "I'm gonna be sick."

Andy slammed me into the wall, his larger frame holding me firmly in place. "Meggy, babe - be a good girl and give me a kiss."

I held my breath and gave him a peck on the lips to satisfy him and he stroked my hair but didn't say anything, just looking at me strangely. After a minute he let go of me, walking out the door to go to Seth's, I assumed.  I let out the breath I'd been holding and tears slid down my face. It was a little bit before I could convince myself to move, my back aching from the impact. I still had bruises on my shoulder blades from the last time he'd done that.

I went into the bathroom and turned on the shower before stripping. I hated it when Andy got drunk and high because then he acted like this, trying to prove he was dominant. I turned to look at my back in the mirror and I could see the start of new bruises on my shoulder blades where they'd met the wall. My skin was so pale bruises showed almost instantly. I was also going to have to wear my cuff bracelets for a couple of days - there was a band of dark reddish purple circling the wrist he'd grabbed as well.

I made sure my alarm was set and put out a uniform for tomorrow, climbing into bed and closing my eyes. Andy wasn't home when I got up in the morning, which was fine with me. He was always cranky after a night of drinking and smoking pot and I was glad I'd be at work when he got home.

*            *

"Em – guess what?" I said, perking up when I saw my friend Emma come in the back door while I was dropping off a load of dishes.

"You got it?" She said, her face lighting up. "Meg – tell me you got it!"

"I got it!" I said excitedly. "I start tomorrow!"

She grabbed my hands and we did a little happy dance there in the kitchen while Louie laughed. He'd taken the news better than I'd expected. Profits had been down lately so he'd been having to consider letting someone go. Since I said I was going to be leaving, he could give my shifts to the other girls without having to make any tough decisions. Em went to stow her purse and get ready for her shift as I turned to the older man.

"I'll be sorry to see you go, Red," Louie said with a scowl that didn't fool me. He belonged to the class of men that believed showing emotion was for wusses, but if a customer tried to get a little handsy with any his girls he'd give them the boot faster than you could say bobs-your-uncle, not one for tolerating poor treatment of a woman.

"It'll be a lot quieter without me around, Louie. You'll be able to hear yourself think again," I said as I went up on my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek, leaving a lipstick stain on his cheek.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't forget to pick up your paycheck at the end of your shift," he said as he headed back to his office. "Wade – call me if you need something or you get backed up."

"Will do boss," the cook said, scrubbing the griddle between orders. "Order up, Meg-me-lassie."

"Coming Wade."

* *

I met Sadie outside her building at a little after 6, coming up to her as she stepped out of the cab laden with bags.

"Oh, good. You found the place okay?" Sadie said. "I've never come here from that part of town so I wasn't sure how long it would take you."

"Yeah, wasn't hard. There's a metro station just two blocks away," I said, taking a couple bags from her and following her to the elevator. "How was your day?"

"Long - I've been up since 5. How did talking to your boss go?"

"Fine, actually. He was going to have to let the new girl go since it hasn't been that busy lately, but now he doesn't have to."

"Wow, so it worked out really well then. So I'll have you make copies of my keys tomorrow so you can get in to pick things up for me or drop things off like Josh does. Sometimes you'll need to check on the place and get the mail if we're both out of town and you don't have to come with."

"Okay. Is there a locksmith place you prefer to use?"

There's one not far from here that Chris uses," she said, sounding unsure.

"So I should ask Josh or Mark tomorrow?" I said, taking the hint.

"Probably," she said, unlocking the door and disabling the alarm. "I also have keys to Scarlett's and Sebastian's places, but they aren't always in town and I usually prefer to stay here with Chris. He must be working out - I don't think he's home."

"Sadie, do you always call Sebastian by his full name? I noticed everyone else calls him Seb."

She blinked at me and then nodded. "I guess I do. He'll also answer to Seb, or Baz. Chris calls him all kinds of names, like punk and jerk, Winter Boo Bear -"

"Winter Boo Bear?" I asked, giggling as I set the bags on the kitchen island counter.

"Yeah, it's kind a mutual insult kind of thing. I don't get it but my sons, Liam and Isaac, do the same thing."

"My twin brothers do that too. At 21, you'd think they be old enough to not do that anymore, but they do," I said with a shrug.

"What kind of phone do you have, Megan?" Sadie asked as she unpacked the bags.

"A 6SE. Why?"

"I'm adding you to my cell phone plan tomorrow, too. If you don't mind, I'd like to upgrade you to an 8. This way we'll all have the same one and your battery will be fresh. I'll make sure you have access to my Cloud as well."

"Great, yeah, I'm sure I can figure out the iOS platform differences no problem."

"Okay, fridge stuff is put away, so why don't I show you around. This is the kitchen and I usually make supper for us unless we agree on takeout earlier in the day. I like cooking; it's a good destresser for me. I like to bake as well, but Sebastian and Chris are on pretty strict diets right now, so I try not to make stuff when I know they can't have it."

"Can I ask why you don't have a place of your own here in town?"

"You can. I have some anxiety issues that I'm working through right now and my boys don't want me staying alone," she said, clearing her throat. "My husband, Justin, passed away quite unexpectedly in July."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Sadie," I said, meeting her eyes. "How long were you together for?"

"Almost 17 years. Chris found out I wasn't been dealing with it the greatest, so he insists on me staying with him when he's here. I just feel better with him around."

I smiled. "It sounds like you have some great friends."

"I do. Sebastian's place is about an hour from here by taxi and Scarlett's is only 15 minutes from here so they're not real far away - plus I get to see them at work all the time."

I followed her down the hallway. "Oh, I love this bathroom!"

"My favorite part is the huge shower. This is actually the guest bathroom and there's a guest room across the hall here. Nothing fancy, just a place for my stuff for the week or two I'm here."

I looked in to see a queen bed centered in the decent sized room, a night stand and dresser on either side and a closet on the far side. She led me to the end of the hall.

"This is Chris' room." She gestured at the dry cleaning laying on the huge  bed. "Looks like Josh was here. He'll pick up the dry cleaning but doesn't like to mess with the closet, so he leaves it on the bed or hanging up in the hallway closet." She opened the closet door and ushered me in, laughing as my jaw dropped.

"This is the largest closet I've ever seen," I said in awe.

Sadie laughed. "I'm not convinced that Chris doesn't have more clothes than I do."

"Seriously - this is great! I want a closet like this someday."

*    *

I spent my whole first morning with Sadie running errands. She didn't have to be on set until that afternoon, so we got my paperwork squared away, a new phone and a bank card so I'd be able to pay for things and get tickets, hotels, or cabs for Sadie. Since that wouldn't come for at least a week, she took out some cash for me to use instead. I found an app I could use to track it, so I'd be able to account for what I'd spent for her.

"If you don't mind, I'd like for you to start working on my calendar, Megan. I really need everything on there soon so I can see if I'll be able to commit to one of the scripts I've finished reading through. I've only got 4 more days of shooting here and then I was planning on going home for a week or so before I need to go to LA. You don't have to come to South Dakota with me right away but I would like for you to meet me there to learn that house as well and meet my boys."

"Sure. If there's someplace quiet I can sit and work I can start on that while you're on set I can see what I can get on there. After I get the next month or so entered I should be able to get plane tickets – or do you have yours already for both trips?"

"I only have the ones for my flight home taken care of, so you can schedule the rest for us both, just remind me to give you my debit card when we get to the set. You can use either Sebastian's or Chris' trailer while they're filming. I don't keep one of my own here because my schedule is so erratic."

"They won't mind?"

"I asked them already and they said that they're fine with it; there's only a couple times when you won't be able to. While I'm thinking of things, the girls and I are planning on going out on Friday night. Lizzie wants us to go to clubbing with her and I said I'd go, I just don't know what to wear and I didn't want to go alone in case the other girls end up ditching us throughout the night. Would you like to come with us?"

"Sure, sounds fun. We can check your closet tonight. Who's all going?"

"Lizzie, Scarlett, Cobie, maybe Emily and I'm not sure who else. I'll find out today and let you know. Actually, you should probably just plan on staying overnight with me – I have no idea what time we'll get home. The last time they went out they said they didn't get in until 4 in the morning."

We got out of the cab then and Sadie paid the driver. I smiled as we came up to the gate.

"Morning, John. This is Megan Jones, my new personal assistant."

"Welcome to Marvel, Miss Jones. Mr Mark and Mr Josh already made sure that everything was in order and left this here for you," he said as he handed me an official looking lanyard with credentials and I put it on. "This is yours for as long as you work for Mrs Wilson, wear it at all times on the set."

"Do you need anything else from her?"

"We're all set, Mrs Wilson. You are looking quite fetching today, if I may be so bold."

"Thank you, John," Sadie said as she smiled and ushered me forward. She pointed things out as we walked to the trailers and we went to Sebastian's first. He was already in there, laying on the couch in his costume, metal arm and all. I took a long look at him - it wasn't what I expected to see, I guess.

"Morning Sebastian," I said politely. "Nice getup you got going on there."

"Hey Megan," he said, nodding to me before looking at Sadie. "Hey doll. I was wondering when you'd get here today." He held out a hand to her and she took it, letting him pull her over to him.

"Miss me?"

"You know it," he said as he pulled her down next to him before lowering his voice to speak quietly with her. I looked away, not wanting to interrupt their moment. I pulled out my phone and set my bag on the counter, just checking social media until I heard my name.

"Hmm?" I murmured, looking back over at Sadie.

"I said I'll grab my papers and we'll go over to Chris' trailer. Sebastian's going to take a nap since he's got a couple hours downtime and he going to be shooting late today."

"Sure," I said, tucking my phone in my pocket and putting the strap of my bag back on my shoulder to head outside to give them a little more alone time. It was obvious to me that they really liked each other.

Since I'd done great so far today not tripping or anything, of course my natural klutziness felt the need to remind me it was still there at the worst time possible. The heel of my boot caught on a step and I stumbled, falling forward. I felt a flash of fear when I knew I wouldn't be able to catch myself in time and turned to brace for the impact so I'd land on my side or back and not my face. Luckily for me, Chris was walking by just then and caught me in his arms, saving me from more scrapes and bruises. I gasped in pain as his arm hit my back right where my newest bruises were.

"You know, we really should stop meeting like this," he said as I moved my wild hair out of my face and got lost in that steel blue gaze again.

It was a moment before I could speak again. "I'm so sorry! Thanks – my boot got caught or something. I'm such a klutz at times."

"It's okay. Just good timing on my part, I guess," he said with a smile.

"Goodness! Chris what happened?" Sadie asked as she came out the door with a pile of papers. "Why are you holding Megan like that?"

"I don't think she's had legs for very long Sadie," Chris said with a wink, teasing me. "She literally just fell into my arms, so finders keepers."

"She better get her money back from the sea witch," Sadie replied without missing a beat, walking down the steps. "And I need her back, so you can't keep her."

"You can put me down now," I said, my face flushing. "I really can walk on my own two legs."

He only smiled wider and quirked a brow. "You sure about that?"

"Positive. Thanks again."

"Next time's gunna cost you," he said quietly as he let go of my legs and let them slide down his hard body, his other arm hard against my back. I felt his heartbeat racing under my palm as I brought it up to rest it on his chest, steadying myself. My mind went straight to the gutter and I saw his pupils dilate from the feel of my body pressed up against his before I remembered we were in a very public place and he was Chris Evans.

"There won't be a next time," I said breathlessly as I quickly pushed myself away from his firm chest and picked up my bag, hurrying after Sadie, who'd turned back to see if I was coming. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be such a klutz."

"I'm glad you didn't get hurt. The one thing that make me freak out is being carried like that. Remind me to tell you about the first time I met Chris sometime."

 

*                      *                 *

Chris' POV

I was just thinking about Megan again as I headed to Sebastian's trailer to discuss the upcoming scene with him when I saw her stumble coming out the door and knew there was no way she wasn't going to hit the ground hard if I didn't do something. I took the two steps needed to brace for catching her, only to discover she weighed about the same as Sadie and Scarlett – not very much at all.

"You know, we really should stop meeting like this," I teased as she raised one arm to move her bright red hair out of her face. I met her startled forest green eyes and tightened my arms around her, wanting to keep her close to me. Her scent was floral today, but still light and appealing and I felt myself responding to her.

Her lips parted in surprise. "I'm so sorry! Thanks – my boot got caught or something. I'm such a klutz at times!" she said quietly as her face flushed a delicate pink.

"It's okay. Just good timing on my part, I guess," I said with a smile.

"Goodness!" Sadie exclaimed when she saw us. "Chris what happened? Why are you holding Megan like that?"

I looked up at her. "I don't think she's had legs for very long Sadie," I said, winking as I teased Megan with another _Little Mermaid_ reference. "She just fell into my arms, so finders keepers."

"She better get her money back from the sea witch," Sadie replied tartly, walking down the steps. "And I need her back, so you can't keep her." She patted me on the shoulder as she walked by, amusement on her beautiful face.

"You can put me down now," Megan said. "I really can walk on my own two legs."

I only smiled wider and quirked a brow. "You sure about that?" This girl was definitely accident prone for sure.

"Positive. Thanks again."

"Next time's gunna cost you," I said so only she could hear as I let go of her legs and let them slide down the front of my body, my other arm firmly around her. I knew that was a mistake as soon as I felt her legs rubbing against my body on the way down and her chest pressed to mine, rising and falling rapidly. I could tell she wasn't unaffected either, her lips parting slightly and her eyes flying to mine as she set one hand on my chest to steady herself. I wanted nothing more than to feel her soft lips against mine, but it wouldn't be wise to do that here with so many people around.

"There won't be a next time," she said as she abruptly pushed away from me and snatched her bag up before hurrying after Sadie without a backwards glance and I heard her speaking to Sadie. I sighed and walked up the trailer steps to talk to Sebastian, shutting the door a little too firmly behind me.

"What's gotten into you?" Sebastian asked, sitting up to make room for me. "You've been in a pissy mood all day."

"Women," I sighed, plopping down on the couch.

"Any particular one this time?"

"Smartass. I'm not going to tell you if you're just going to make fun of me."

"So a certain redhead?"

"Am I that obvious?"

"No, I just know you really well."

"Sadie?" I snorted, rolling my eyes at him; she had to have told him because he really wasn't that observant.

"Sadie," he affirmed with a smirk. "She said the girls are all going out Friday night - including Megan. She said it would be a good logistical planning practice for her and she should see the kind of clubs we hang out at here."

"If the girls are going out on Friday, we should too before everyone has to leave again. I don't care where, I just need to get out and do something."

"Okay, yeah - it's been a while since we've just gone out to have a good time. I'm sure Jer, at least one of the Pauls, and probably both Toms will be up for it and you know Mackie won't say no."

"We can pregame at my place," I said, thinking quickly. "I'll have Josh stock the fridge and Sadie wants to cook since she'll be done before we will. Your place is the farthest from mine, so if you have dinner with us and change at my place it'll be faster that way."

"I'll bring my stuff with me to the set Friday then so we can just leave together. We can check out that new place that just opened a couple blocks from your condo; I've heard it's really something."

"I can't wait," I said with a faint smile. Friday couldn't come soon enough at this rate.

*      *

I heard the sound of breaking glass coming from my bedroom not long after I got back to my condo for the day. Sadie was in the kitchen, but it sounded like she was on the phone with the boys so she probably hadn't heard it. I walked back there to see Megan kneeling on the hardwood floor between the bed and the dresser, picking up shards of broken glass from what I was sure was one of my least used cologne bottles. She'd already grabbed the garbage can from the bathroom and was gingerly dropping pieces in it.

"You okay?" I asked, coming in the room. "What happened?"

She'd frozen at the sound of my voice and glanced over her shoulder back at me. "Yeah. I'm real sorry, Chris. I don't know how I managed it but I broke one of your cologne bottles. I must have hit it off the dresser when I walked by with Sadie's dry cleaning." I noticed that she'd laid the dry cleaning on the bed while she cleaned up the mess.

"It's not a big deal, Megan – really." I went to grab a roll of paper towels to soak up the puddle. I was thankful I didn't have carpet in my bedroom because then I'd never get the smell out.

"You're sure?" she asked, taking them from me and looking fearfully up at me with those big green eyes. "I can replace it."

I shook my head, wondering why she was so scared. "Don't worry about it. I think it was one of the many that Gucci gave me after doing that commercial, and I like Guilty better than whatever this is - was." I think I wore it once and Lizzie made fun of it or something, so I didn't wear it again after that.

She tore off a long strip of towels and sopped up the fluid. "Do you think I can open the window? I don't want to give Sadie a headache - this is really strong."

She wasn't kidding. My eyes were starting to water from the smell. "I'll do it," I volunteered, knowing she wouldn't be able to figure it out on her own. "There's a trick to that window. No wonder I didn't like this one – it's even starting to give _me_ a headache."

I moved past her to open the window, not missing how she shrank back from me as I walked past her even though I wasn't even that close to her. I was furious at whoever had given her a reason to be afraid of men and I hated that she saw me as a threat.

"Did you cut yourself?" I asked, seeing smears of red on the paper towels as she put them in the garbage can and tore off another strip to wipe the floor again.

"Umm, maybe? I'll look in a minute. Can you turn on the light so I can see if I missed any glass? I'll sweep in a bit to make sure I didn't miss anything. I'd hate for you or Sadie to cut your foot because I missed a piece."

She didn't flinch as I walked past this time, only tensed as I approached her. I hit the switch and went to go find the first aid kit I knew I had in the bathroom. I set it out on the counter just as she came in. I watched as she washed her hands, red seeping from the side of one of her fingers. Her hand trembled slightly when I reached for it, but I still noticed it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," I said, holding out my hand to her and allowing her the chance to make the choice. "Let me see it, Megan."

"You just moved faster than I anticipated," she said, avoiding my eyes and slowly giving me her tiny hand.

"It's not bad – just a little slice," I said after I inspected it, turning her hand this way and that.

"Do you have peroxide and a band-aid?" she asked quietly. "It's not bad enough to need stitches."

*           *

As I settled in for the night I couldn't get the look in Megan's eyes out of my head. I mostly closed the window in my bedroom, leaving it open just a crack - the smell was still pretty strong. It had dissipated a lot, but it was still there.

"Is it too strong, Sadie?" I asked as she came in and crawled into bed.

"No, it's not too bad now. By morning it should be mostly gone."

I hit the lights and got into bed, pulling her into my arms like always. She settled into the position she usually slept in, curled towards me, one hand over my heart. I ran my fingers lightly over the scar on her shoulder, thinking for a minute. I wasn't sure how to bring it up to Sadie, so I only asked, "Is she always so accident prone?"

"I don't know. She's got an awful lot of bruises, Chris. She took off her sweater yesterday when she was working on my schedule and I came in here suddenly and surprised her. I just got a quick look, and she didn't say anything about them, just put her sweater back on. "

"Have you met the boyfriend?"

"Not yet. I considered that, too. She's definitely nervous around large men, like you and Sebastian. She's fine around Tom Holland."

"He's not much bigger than she is, Sadie - and he couldn't be scary if he tried. What about Mark and Josh?"

"She's fine with both of them, but I'd put them in the same category as Tom. If nothing else, she's coming with me when I go home next week and then to LA. Are you sure it's okay if we both stay with you? I _can_ get a hotel room, you know."

"I'd rather you stay with me like you always do. I have more rooms than I need - I'm sure Megan can find one that will work for her. Josh is staying with his cousin again - he said he's tired of hotels."

"I don't blame him. I get tired of being away from home too. I really like Megan, Chris; she's just so nice. She even cleaned your trailer while she waited for me to get done getting out of costume and everything."

It had been a nice surprise. I kept my trailer pretty clean, but there was no denying it needed a good dusting and mopping, both of which she'd done, along with airing it out and changing the sheets on my bed, which she'd brought back with us to wash.

I kissed Sadie's temple and sighed, "Yeah she is nice, doll. I'm glad you found her - you really did need an assistant." Sadie snorted but didn't disagree, much to my amusement.

 

*              *                  *

Megan's POV

It was almost 9 by the time I got home that night. It looked like long days were going to become standard for me.

"Where have you been?" Andy asked angrily when I dumped my bag and walked into the kitchen in search of something to eat. Sadie and Chris went out for dinner because the smell was so strong, and I hadn't picked anything up tonight, needing to get the smell out of my nostrils before I could think about eating. I found a half empty box of Lucky Charms in the cupboard and poured myself a bowl.

"Just got done with work. I missed my train, so I had to wait for the next one."

"Who have you been with?" he said, eyes narrowing. " You stink like cologne."

I gave him a look, out of patience with him. "I was just with Sadie. I knocked over one of the bottles on the dresser when I was walking past with the dry cleaning and it broke." I pulled the milk out of the fridge and poured it over my cereal.

"But it smells like a man's cologne, not women's."

"Sadie's staying with Chris for a couple days and the closet in his room is full size - which means that's where I hang up her dresses." Andy's eyes were still narrowed in suspicion, so I explained further. "Some of it splashed on me when it broke and it was all over my hands because I cleaned up the mess I made. I sliced my finger on the bottle, too – see?" I held up my bandaged finger so he could see it. It had bled like crazy and the Band-Aid was already stained red.

"You gotta be more careful, babe," he said, his face relaxing a little bit before taking my hand in his and looking at the bandaged finger. "I'm going to bed. I have to be at work early tomorrow."

I crunched on my cereal. "How early? I was thinking we could have breakfast together tomorrow morning."

"What's the point? You're eating breakfast now."

"I can eat it again in the morning. I love Lucky Charms." I pulled my hand back to take another big bite.

"5 am. Don't worry about it, babe. We'll just go out on Friday with my friends since we both have the weekend off for a change."

I swallowed quickly. "Can't. Got to go to someplace with Sadie and I'm staying over at her place since we won't get in until really late."

"Where's someplace?"

I knew better than to tell him we were going out clubbing, so I stretched the truth. "I don't know. She didn't tell me the name, but if you're getting off early Friday we could have an early supper at Gino's and you could still go out with your friends. I don't have to be at Sadie's until 7."

He looked at me intensely for a long moment and I thought he was going to call me out. "You aren't just making this up to avoid Seth, are you?" he accused, knowing how much I disliked his pot-smoking buddy. The thought had crossed my mind, but I could legitimately deny it – this time.

"No, I can show you on my calendar if you want," I said, pulling out my phone and opening the calendar app I'd found that worked the best for us. From 7 pm on was blocked off with the words 'Meg & Sadie out w/ Liz, Scar, Jai, Co, Em.'

"Whatever," he said as he looked at it. "Come to bed soon, okay?"

"Okay," I mumbled through my cereal, reaching for the box to top off my bowl. I was relieved that was over. I don't know what was with him lately, always grilling me on what I was doing when; it was getting kind of annoying.

 


	5. Party Time

Chris' POV

By the time we wrapped on Friday I was more than ready to be done for the week. It felt like it had been an even longer week than usual. I'd gotten used to my condo and my trailer smelling like Megan when I returned to it each afternoon, cinnamon and vanilla lingering in the air mixed with a hint of Sadie's perfume.

I didn't regret telling Sadie it was fine for Megan to be there working on figuring out Sadie's calendar, it just made me even more determined to find someone tonight. For as hard as I got every time I breathed in that faint reminder of her presence in my trailer or at home, I knew it'd just been too long since I'd gotten laid. The only problem was that I didn't have any interest in other women anymore, but enough alcohol could change that.

I got changed out of my costume and grabbed my duffle bag before meeting up Sebastian so we could head home to get ready to go out with the guys.

"You can shower first, Seb. Hey Sadie - where are you?" I called as I let us in. Music was playing, so I knew she was there somewhere. Sebastian headed back to the guest room to use the shower and get ready.

"In here," she replied from the kitchen. I tossed my bag aside and walked into the kitchen, the smell of something delicious in the air.

"You look great," I said as I came up behind her and kissed her bare shoulder right on the old scar there, a reminder of when she'd saved our lives. "Did you get a new dress?" She was wearing one I hadn't seen before: a knee length one-shouldered light flowy dress in a shade of blue that really complimented her creamy skin. It must be a special occasion - she even had heels on.

"Thanks. Megan helped me pick it out. I've had it for a while but I've never worn this one before."

I smiled and twirled her before pulling her into a waltz as the song changed. "What's this song?"

"It's from _Winter Soldier_. Whatever was playing when Seb shot Fury."

"Why on earth are you listening to that?"

"I like the song. Are you going to dance with me tonight? I forgot how good of a dancer you are."

"For as many lessons as my Ma made me take I'd hope I'd be decent at it," I grumped, twirling her again. "But of course I'll dance with you, doll. Wild horses couldn't stop me from taking a turn around the floor with my best girl. What are you making? It smells great."

"Sadie -" Megan said, coming into the kitchen in just a white towel wrapped around her, finger combing through her long, dark red tresses.  She squeaked when she saw me and bolted right back out of the kitchen, leaving me speechless. All I could think of was that she looked really damn good in that towel - and my pants were now way too tight.

"I don't think she heard you come in," Sadie said with an apologetic smile.

"What gave you that idea?" I said, my voice rough. I cleared my throat before I continued. "Seb's here too, just so you know."

"Does Megan know that?"

I winced as a squeak came from either the guest room or the bathroom and moments later we heard a door slam. "I'm going to guess she does now. You better go talk to her, doll. I think she likes surprises as much as you do."

"Chris, I _hate_ surprises," Sadie reminded me.

"I know," I said with a grin, kissing her cheek and letting go of her. "I'm going to get cleaned up. Thanks for the dance."

"You're welcome. I didn't want to say anything," Sadie smirked, turning to look at me. "But you really do stink right now, Chris."

"I always do when I have to wear the suit. I still smell better than Seb does when he gets his suit off."

She laughed, waving her hand in front of her face. "Debatable. You both stink pretty bad in those suits."

 

*           *              *

Megan's POV

I slammed the bedroom door behind me and looked in the dresser mirror. My cheeks were bright red in mortification. I didn't know when Sebastian and Chris had gotten here, but I'd never been so embarrassed in my life. I couldn't believe Chris had seen me almost naked _and_ I'd just walked in on Sebastian undressing. Today couldn't possibly get any worse.

Someone knocked on the door a moment later. "Megan? Are you all right?" Sadie asked.

"I think I need a drink," I groaned, letting her in and shutting the door behind her. "When did they get here?"

"Right before you came into the kitchen," she said with a small smile. "You must have just missed Sebastian in passing. I didn't know he was coming here early too."

"I wish I'd missed him entirely," I said, plugging in the blow-dryer and a straightener. "I was going to ask if you had some hot iron spray. I forgot to pack mine."

"I'll grab it in a minute. Sebastian's not that bad to look at Megan," Sadie said. "Admit it."

I shook my head at her. "Not going there. He's your man and that was way more of him than I ever wanted to see."

"It's not like he was naked," Sadie said, patting my shoulder and meeting my eyes in the mirror. "This time," she clarified, a grin on her face.

I looked at her in shock. "There won't be a next time if I have anything to say about it. Thank goodness he wasn't  – that was close enough! Will it be safe for me to get dressed by the time my hair's dry? I left my dress hanging up in the bathroom to steam the wrinkles out of it."

"Yes – it doesn't usually take him very long to get ready."

"Thanks, boss,"  I said in relief.

My hair was only about half dry when she came back with the spray. I quickly spritzed my hair well and continued drying it and styling it. I put on my slip and some makeup, checking myself out before peeking out to see if the bathroom door was open yet or not. It was, so I wrapped the towel back around me and went to put my dress on, along with a light, thin shrug.

Other than the bruises on my upper arms that would be covered by my shrug, I looked pretty good. I worried a little bit about what Sadie would say about them, though. It was pretty obvious they were hand prints – individual fingers were visible.

 

*          *        *

Chris' POV

A long hot shower and a fresh change of clothes did a lot for improving my mood. I put on a light spray of cologne and tossed my shirt in the dryer to get rid of the wrinkles before walked down the hallway to the kitchen.

Sadie gave me a laughing glance as before she pulled a pan from the oven. "Chris, where's your shirt?"

"Dryer. It was wrinkled." Sebastian handed me a beer and I took a drink. "I thought you liked it when I walked around like this, doll. You never did tell us whose six pack you preferred."

Sebastian pulled his shirt back off and gestured at the two of us. "Come on, doll. Tell us whose are better."

Sadie had just taken a drink of her wine and covered her mouth until she swallowed. "I'm not drunk enough to answer that question. And neither of you have a six pack – it's more like a case," she said, giving me a look. "Evans – I'm pretty sure your shirt is wrinkle free by now. Sebastian, put your shirt back on - you've both already scared poor Megan enough."

"It's Chris' fault. He scared her first," Seb said, throwing me a smirk.

"Did someone get the license plate of the bus that just ran me over?" I said, giving him a look.

"Oh good. So clothes aren't optional around here?" Megan asked as she came in, eyes wide as she looked at Sadie, her cheeks still flushed. "I was a little worried I'm overdressed now." She glanced over at us once and then went to grab a beer from the fridge, leaning over to use the hem of her short skater dress to twist it open when she couldn't get it right away and unintentionally giving us both a great view of her cleavage. My mouth went dry and I somehow managed to not get caught staring - thanks to a well timed elbow from Sebastian.

"No, they're not," Sadie declared as she pulled the plates out of the cupboard. "And don't even _think_ about asking her to answer that question, guys."

"Still not going there – I know better than that – but I _will_ take a poll tonight and we can have the ladies settle it for them," Megan said, grabbing her phone from the counter and taking a picture before showing us that it was only of our torsos. "Remind me Sebastian's wearing a belt if I can't remember later since you're both wearing the same shade of jeans."

Sebastian and I exchanged a grin. She must be more flustered than she let on because only one of us had ink - and it wasn't Seb. It was pretty easy to tell us apart just by that alone.

"Guys, put your shirts on and come dish yourselves up. Lizzie, Scarlett and the rest of the girls are going to be here any minute."

"What did you make, doll?" Seb asked, coming around the island. "Smells good."

"Just an easy hotdish. It's called All-in-One-Dinner and there's meat, potatoes and bacon involved. I haven't made it in a long time."

"I've never had it," Megan said. "At least, if I have it wasn't called that."

"I'm sure you grew up with a similar version. I added a lot more spices than just the basic recipe calls for."

 

*       *        *

Megan's POV

Halfway through the meal my phone buzzed and I finally had a reply from Andy – three hours later than I expected. He was supposed to have gotten off at 3, so I'd tried calling him then but he hadn't answered, so I'd left him a voicemail asking him to call me when he got off since I knew he didn't always leave work right away.

**_Sorry babe. I just got off_ ** **_work. Ended up picking up_ ** **_some hours for Johnny s_ ** **_o he could go to his kid's_ ** **_football game._ **

Considering he'd already told me they weren't allowed overtime this week, I knew that wasn't the case. And I'd asked him to call and he was texting me instead, so I suspected what had happened was that he'd gotten off early like he'd planned and he and Seth had decided to go smoke a couple joints or have a few beers so he'd lost track of time.

I hit the green call button and let it ring, not sure if he'd answer or not. If he didn't, I had my answer. I was glad I'd came over to Sadie's early and hadn't waited at home for him. If he'd just told me that's what he wanted to do and hadn't made plans with me, I wouldn't be so angry right now - I hated it when people lied to me or stood me up.

When it went to voicemail, I turned my phone on silent and set it aside, not wanting to talk to him right now while we were having such a good conversation. My phone lit up again, and again, and again until I couldn't ignore it anymore.

**_Babe, I'm sorry._ **

**_I forgot tell you._ **

**_Don't be mad babe_ **

**_Talk to me babe._ **

**_Please talk to me._ **   
  
  


"If you'll excuse me," I said, glancing at Sadie apologetically. "I'll be right back."

"Something wrong?"

"No, just need to get Andy to quit texting me."

"Who's Andy?" Sebastian asked, scooping up more hotdish.

"My boyfriend - for now," I replied, going into the living room to tell him to stop blowing up my phone.

*       *

I went back into the kitchen to see that Scarlett and Lizzie were here already, along with Tom Holland and Paul Rudd. Chris must have told the guys to meet here tonight, too. I cleaned up my dishes and grabbed a Diet Coke out of the fridge and filled a glass with ice.

"Pick your poison," Sebastian said, gesturing for me to help myself. "Everything all right?"

"Thanks," I said, finding the bottle of Captain Morgan and pouring a generous amount in my glass it before adding the pop in. "It's fine, just stupid stuff."

"You looked a little upset."

"My dumbass boyfriend _forgot_ to tell me he was 'working late'," I said before I took a long drink.

"Sensing a little sarcasm there, Roşu. You still claim him?"

"What's _Roşu_ mean?" I asked, avoiding answering the question since I wasn't even sure of the answer right now.

"The color red in Romanian," he said, indicating my hair. "It's better than Ariel."

"Tru dat, Seabass," I said, tapping glasses with him. "I feel like I need a nickname to call you if you're going to give me one. Not Sea bass - you're not a fish."

"I have enough nicknames. Why don't you call me Baz? That's what Lizzie and Sadie's little sister Katie call me, so I'll answer to it."

"Baz? That's different."

"Yup."

"It won't work, you know," I said as I topped off my glass with more liquor and Diet Coke.

"What won't work?" he asked, giving me a blank look that I didn't believe for a minute. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Your little plan," I replied, indicating Chris, Tom, and Paul, who were talking animatedly to Scarlett, Sadie and Lizzie. "Sadie wants a girls night and you two just _happen_ to invite the rest of the guys over? We're still going out without you. I put way too much effort into this for it to get canceled."   

"I know, and it's okay. We talked to Sadie today about it and she knows that we'll meet up at some of the places they're going; this is actually normal, believe it or not. We start here, go out and do our own things and most of the time we end up here after last call."

"Why would you end up here? Don't you have a place of your own?"

He shrugged. "I do, and sometimes we end up there or at Scarlett's depending on where we are when it's time to call it a night. Team sleepover bonding sometimes includes finding out how many people you can pack in a bed."

"You guys take team to the extreme. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"No, but it's true, I guess. We spend so much time together we've become our own dysfunctional little family."

"Speaking of dysfunctional - have you ever played Cards Against Humanity?" I asked with a wicked grin.

"No – what's that?"

"Muwah- ha- ha-ha-ha!" Sebastian looked at me with amusement as I rubbed my hands together and did my best evil villain impression.

"Should I be concerned?" he asked.

"You're going to love it. Think we have enough time for a game - say 30 minutes? I brought my set with since I had time to stop at home today."

"Yeah – Mackie, Jeremy and Tom Hiddleston aren't here yet."

"I don't think I've met any of them," I said after a moment of thought. "At least, I don't think so. Does Marvel only hire duplicate names? From what I've learned, there's at least two other Chris', two Paul's, and two Tom's."

"Only one Sebastian," he said right on cue, a little smirk on his handsome face.

I snorted and finished my drink. "I don't think the world is ready for two of you and I've only known you for a week, Baz." 

 

*               *                 *

Chris' POV

I watched as Sebastian talked to Megan while she poured herself a drink, half an ear on the conversation around me.

"So what is Sadie's PA doing here tonight?" Emily asked me when Sadie went to get another glass of wine. "Is she going out with us?"

"Sadie wanted Megan to see what it's like for us when we go out. Do you have a problem with that?" I asked, looking at her in surprise. I'd never taken her for a stuck up kind of girl, so I hoped her question was just from curiosity and not something else, because I knew she'd recently become engaged to Josh Bowman. While we played interested in each other on screen, there wasn't anything more to it than that.

"No, I was just wondering," Emily replied, giving me a look. "I didn't want Sadie to think I was criticizing her or I'd have asked her myself. She seems nice enough and Sadie's been a lot less stressed this week."

"We finally convinced her she needed a PA when she decided she was going to start reading new scripts."

"You mean Baz convinced her."

"Potato - pahtahto." I nodded, watching as Megan left the room heading to the guest room. "Want another drink?" I asked her as I finished my beer. She shook her head and I made my way over to Seb to grab another beer and talk to him.

"What was she upset about earlier?" I asked him, opening another beer.

"Her boyfriend's being a dick. Pretty sure she's going to dump him."

I gave Seb a look, trying not to get my hopes up. "Where'd she go now?"

"To get a card game to play. I thought she was onto me for a minute there – told me my little plan wasn't going to work." He gave me a grin as he sipped his drink.

I lowered my voice. "No shit? How'd she figure it out already?"

He laughed. "She didn't – she was talking about us crashing girls night, but it was a close one."

Megan came back into the room then carrying a long, skinny black box with white lettering on it, heading for the island and setting the box down next to us.

"No way – I love that game!" Holland said, coming over to the island. Megan was clearing it off so we could use it to play the game on since it was the only thing big enough for all of us to be around it. My table was only big enough for six.

"Drinking rules – of course, right Meg?" Lizzie grinned and started helping her by getting it set up.

"That's the only way to play it Lizzie!" the younger girl said with a grin, Megan's expression one of delighted anticipation.

"Do you know how to play?" I asked Scarlett as she came up next to me, leaning slightly against my side, the warmth of her skin seeping through my shirt.

"No, but I heard it can get pretty crazy."

"How's Rose?"

"She's good. She's with Romain again for a while since I've got a solid month of filming coming up," she said, glancing up at me. "She was so pissed when we got off the plane and you weren't there. She thought we were going to LA see you since it was such a long flight for her."

I hated hearing that. Scarlett's daughter and I had first really become close when we were filming in Germany for Civil War. Scarlett and I had started seeing each other after her separation this spring, so when we decided it just wasn't going to work, it was hardest on Rose.

"I miss the little pipsqueak," I admitted. "I just wish -"

She shook her head once, grimacing slightly. "Don't, Chris. Not tonight – we're all just here to have a good time and enjoy the company. You and Sadie leave for LA soon and I have to go to Vancouver for another film commitment as soon as we wrap here."

Lizzie and Tom pulled us into the game then, so we focus on learning the rules. It turned out that Cards Against Humanity was a fucking hilarious game; I don't think I'd ever laughed so hard before.

"Renner, Mackie - what took you guys so long?"

"Our Uber took a wrong turn once or twice," Jeremy said. "But we're finally here. What's going on in the kitchen?"

"Cards Against Humanity. Megan brought it with so we were playing it while we waited for you guys to show up."

"Sweet! I've always wanted to play that!" Anthony said as we pounded fists. "So do we finally get to meet Ariel?"

"Yeah, but she doesn't like to be called that so you better come up with something else," I warned him, getting Sadie's attention. She tapped Megan on the arm and said something, bringing her over to meet the guys. Megan gave them a shy wave and held out her hand to them.

"Hello - I'm Megan Jones."

"Jeremy Renner," he brought his hand up to meet hers too quickly, making her tremble slightly. Jeremy's eyes cut to mine and I knew he saw it too. He shook her hand firmly, smiling kindly. "Nice to meet you, Megan."

"Likewise," she said. She held out her hand to Anthony.

He moved a little slower than he normally did to reach for her hand. "Anthony Mackie. So _you're_ Ariel. Nice to finally meet you, Princess."

"Hi Anthony - and please don't call me that." Her eyes flicked to me and I caught her slight frown. "Mr Evans, might I have a word with you?"

"Hold on there, hot stuff," Anthony said, suddenly pulling her into a hug and lifting her off her feet, damn near throwing her over his shoulder. "I wasn't done saying hello."

"I think you took one too many hits during training today," Jeremy said, giving him a look. "What are you doing Mackie?"

"Just doing my job," Anthony said, giving me a huge grin.

"Anthony! What's wrong with you?" Sadie said, smacking him on the arm. "Put her down!"

"Only if she promises to not kill Chris."

"I promise," she grumbled, looking like a doll in his arms. "Now will you _please_ put me down?"

"When I believe you, I will. That wasn't very convincing, Princess."

"Anthony!" Sadie said, crossing her arms. "She's going to think you don't have any manners."

"You want me to pinky promise or something?" Megan huffed.

"Probably wouldn't hurt," he said with a laugh. "I've spent four movies saving Chris' ass; it's kind of becoming a habit."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I've only made it up to _The Avengers_."

Anthony almost dropped her in shock, making her squeak and grab a fistful of his shirt in fear. "You're a little behind, pumpkin."

"Put me down!" she insisted, pounding on him with her fist and not even getting a flinch out of him. "Why are all you guys like this? Maybe I should rethink this whole employment thing!"

"Easy, Cinna-mini." He set her on her feet, getting a frigid glare from her when he laughed at her again.

"My name is Megan. _Meg_ -an. It's not that hard to say, really. Go on, give it a try." I smiled slightly, thankful her ire wasn't directed at me while appreciating her show of temper. She was so mild normally that I'd been wondering if she _had_ a temper.

"All right - Megan," Anthony said, still being a smartass. "What do you know, it _isn't_ that hard to say. Not a fan of nicknames?"

She crossed her arms and gave him a pointed look. "As you have already noticed and commented on in several ways, I'm short and have bright red hair, Mr Mackie. It makes me a target - so what do you think?"

She stiffly marched past him and opened the door, walking out into the hallway. Mackie gave me an apologetic look and turned to go after her just as we heard her squeak again.

 

*         *          *

Megan's POV

"Ooof!" I stalked out of Chris's door only to take a step and run into a wall somehow. It only took me a moment to realize it wasn't a wall at all; it was another tall, well built man. I really needed to stop meeting people like this, I decided. Twice in one week was more than enough.

"Sorry!" I said, unable to move - I was that off balance. I wasn't sure how it had happened, but the heel of my shoe was stuck.

"Good evening," a smooth, cultured British voice said a moment later. "My apologies. I wasn't expecting to see anyone just yet." I knew I'd heard that voice before - very recently - I just wasn't sure where.

"Me either," I said with a sigh, feeling his chest shake with laughter. "I was just leaving."

"So I gathered," he said dryly, moving forward while holding onto me until I was fully upright. "Please allow me to assist you." He let go of me as soon as he was satisfied I wasn't going to fall over again. I gave up trying to get my shoe free and crouched down to pry my shoe from the doormat and slide it back on.

"Bring her in with you Tom," Chris said from behind me as I stood up again.

"Are you all right, Megan?" Sadie asked quietly, stepping out into the hallway.

"I'm fine - I only hurt my dignity," I replied, not looking at either of them, certain my face was currently as red as my hair. I wasn't sure if this was worse than Chris seeing me in just a towel or not. "Thanks for catching me, sir." I said in the stranger's direction, my hair having fallen into my face when I bent down, keeping my face hidden.

"You're quite welcome - Megan, is it?" He said quietly, his accent pleasant. "Glad I could be of service."

"Yes. You must be the other Tom they were waiting for. Have a nice night." I swiftly stepped around him and continued down the hall, still set on leaving, only to be caught by the forearm after a couple steps and stopped in my tracks, my arm behind me. He hadn't grabbed me hard enough to leave bruises, but his grip was firm enough I couldn't slip free. I could feel myself starting to feel trapped. "Let go of me," I hissed quietly, trying to pull my arm from his grasp. "Just leave me alone already!"

"I'm really sorry, Megan," Anthony pleaded. "Please don't go on account of me. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or insult you. Really."

"Are you done making fun of me?" I asked, refusing to look up and blinking rapidly. "I just want to go now."

I was moments away from tears and just wanted to get away from them, not wanting to let them know just how upset I was right now. Sadie understood and put her arms around me, making Anthony let go of me. I hugged her back, letting out a shaky breath.

"You've done enough already; go inside," she said to the guys before lowering her voice to murmur in my ear. "I'm so sorry, Megan. They were being stupid idiots. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I lied, my voice catching and my throat aching. "I'm fine."

"Oh, Megan," Sadie said sympathetically. "I _will_ kick your sorry asses if you don't give us a minute, guys," she threatened them when they must not have left. "I'm so sorry, honey. They're not normally like this - I don't know what got into them tonight!"

"Maybe it would be best if I just went home. I don't belong here."

Sadie stroked my hair just like my mom always did when she held me like this, making me miss Mama even more. "Yes, you do, honey. Tommy and Lizzie would be so disappointed if you left now; I know they're looking forward to hanging out with you tonight and showing you around. Tommy hasn't stopped chattering at me since the moment he met you."

"He does talk an awful lot, I've noticed."

"Yes, he does - especially when he's nervous. The rest of us are all boring, settled-down old people, so we don't go out like this very often. It'll be good for you to come with tonight - who knows when we'll have time to do this again with our wacky schedules? We're hardly all ever in town at the same time."

"You're sure?" I asked, picking my head up from her shoulder to look her in the eyes. I saw nothing but concern on her beautiful face.

She nodded. "Positive. Why don't we go back in so you can fix your makeup and rejoin the game. I think it's getting a little out of hand without you moderating."

 

*            *       *

Chris' POV

"Can someone clarify why the girl was leaving here with such haste?" Tom Hiddleston asked when we went inside and closed the door like Sadie wanted. "She seemed rather overset."

"It's my fault," Anthony said. "I was teasing her and took it a little too far. She gave me a piece of her mind and had just walked out the door when she ran into you."

"Thanks for catching her," I said, gesturing for Tom to come into the kitchen. "She would've fallen for as hard as her shoe was caught."

"She is Sadie's new assistant, correct?" Tom asked, "She's not who I would've expected Sadie to hire."

"Yeah, she's Sadie's PA. She's really nice -" I started to say.

"And really doesn't like nicknames," Anthony added, making a face.

"I myself am not overly fond of them either," Tom replied before he turned to greet everyone.

I saw the door open again from my place in the kitchen, watching as Sadie and Megan walked back in. Megan had her hair down to hide herself from our gaze, but Sadie caught my eye and sharply gestured for me to stay put when I started to move, giving me a look.

"I didn't think she was going to come back," I said to Anthony quietly while we were looking at our cards. "Sadie's really pissed."

"I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to make her upset - I guess I wasn't using my head. Shel's going to be pissed at me when she hears about it later," Anthony said, hanging his head.

It wasn't long before they rejoined us, Sadie between me and Sebastian and Megan making herself a spot between Lizzie and Tom Holland - as far away from us as she could possibly get. I couldn't help but notice her arm was really red where Anthony had grabbed onto her; her delicate skin showed everything. I passed Megan's drink over to Sadie, who handed it to her, getting her to smile.

Megan didn't look at us once but just rejoined the game at the next hand - her whole demeanor very subdued. It was a far cry from how she'd been earlier when she'd been laughing and joking with us all. She may not have known us for long but she fit in with us so easily, it was hard to remember we'd only known her a couple days.

I could tell she was still a little upset from the flushed cheeks and neck. Tom Holland leaned over to say something in her ear and she shook her head slightly and murmured something back before Lizzie claimed her attention, making her laugh again. By the time the round was over, Megan was almost back to how she'd been before - other than she still wouldn't look at me or Anthony.

A text from the limo driver brought about the end of the game just when I thought I couldn't laugh any harder. "Ten minutes, guys. Driver says he's about that far away yet," I announced.

Megan pulled her phone out to check hers as well, showing it to Lizzie, who made the announcement. "We've got 20 minutes yet, ladies."

Sebastian murmured something to Sadie and gave her a quick kiss before he subtly pulled Megan aside as we made our way out. "If you keep Sadie away from the tequila tonight, there's another $100 in it for you," Sebastian said, pulling a bill from his jeans pocket and palming it.

"Why no tequila?" she asked, looking up from me to him but taking the money he slipped her. "Since we have a driver I'm not really planning on staying completely sober tonight, Baz."

"You don't have to stay sober, Roşu. It's a long story, but Sadie and tequila are not my favorite combination if we're not with her," Sebastian said with a sigh. "Will you do it?"

"This is in Sadie's best interest?" she asked after a moment, searching his face first until he nodded, then finally looking at me to gauge my sincerity.

"Yes," I said, her eyes meeting mine. "Please Megan? We wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

"Lizzie and Scarlett will help if you need it. You have our numbers?" Sebastian asked, and she nodded, glancing up at me from the phone in her hand.

"Yup - I have everyone's number. I texted both of you and Tom already so you have my number too if you didn't already." She nibbled on her lush lower lip for a second before speaking again. "Let me know where you're at so we don't all go to the same clubs tonight, okay?"

"I promised Sadie we'd let you have your girls night," Sebastian grumbled, sticking his tongue out at her.

"Roger that, Sargent Barnes," she snapped to attention and saluted jauntily, "Anything else, Captain Rogers?"

"As you were, Agent Jones," I said, smiling as her lips quirked and she dropped her arm.

Sebastian snorted in amusement. "Have fun, Roşu."

"Will do. Stay out of trouble, Baz," Megan said as she turned away from us to go back to the girls and I found myself hoping that she'd say something just to me, but she didn't.

"Always do. Let's go punk," Sebastian said, pulling on my arm as my phone buzzed, letting me know the driver was here.

 

*        *      *

Megan's POV

I tucked the $100 into my wallet, mentally shaking my head at my boss' friends. I wasn't sure what to think about this. I still wasn't even sure exactly who she was dating. I'd seen her kiss Sebastian but I'd also seen her lightheartedly dancing with Chris in the kitchen.

"Did Baz just try to bribe you?" Lizzie asked when I walked back over to the girls.

"Yup. I'm not supposed to let Sadie have any tequila tonight," I said, glancing over at where Sadie was laughing with Scarlett about something at the end of the island. "I don't know how I'm supposed to do that, do you?"

"She's in a good mood, Meg – I don't think it'll be an issue tonight, but I can help you if you need it."

I gave Lizzie a long look before deciding she was being serious. "Good, because I'm sensing there's a story involved and I'm okay with not knowing right now."

"You're a better person than I am because I _still_ want to know the whole story. It's from a while ago - back when I first met Sadie - so I only know bits and pieces."

"Okay. I just need to check my makeup before we leave, Lizzie."

I was kind of working tonight, kind of not. I'd never been to any of the clubs on the list for tonight and without Sadie and the others I never would be. They were all known to be very exclusive, so it was a better alternative for celebrities than the average nightclub or bar. No one would be going crazy over them and the bouncers would keep out the paparazzi, according to Mike and Josh, who'd helped me arrange everything, including the limo. There were a lot of us, so that was easier than trying to keep track of 2 Ubers. 

"Where are we going first?" Lizzie asked, walking with me back to the living room.

"Provac? Or is it too early for that one? You tell me - I'm just a peasant - I've never been to any of these before."

"Way too early. What do I get to pick from?"

I handed her my phone and went to check myself out in the bathroom while she decided. "Well?" I asked when I came back out, slipping fluffing my hair gently. "What did you guys decide?"

Lizzie pointed at one I wasn't familiar with. "This one - I love karaoke! My sister said she'll meet us at Provac later since she's in town. "

"Me too - I love singing. Not saying I'm any good or anything, I just like doing it. I just wasn't sure about everyone else. Which sister?"

"Ashley; Mary Kate's in LA right now. The whole team likes to do karaoke. If you can get Chris to do it, even better."

"He sings?"

"Nope. That's why it's so fun."

"You're evil, aren't you?" I asked, finishing my drink.

"Are my devil horns sticking out again?" Lizzie asked as she patted her updo. "I thought I had those hidden pretty damn well tonight."

I snorted. "Well, I still haven't been able to find my halo since the last bachelorette party I went to, so I've got no room to talk."

"So are we going to talk about why you have a picture of Chris and Baz's abs on your phone?" Lizzie said, holding up my phone so everyone could see it.

"Snooping were we? I wasn't gone that long," I said, feeling my face flush again.

"Just a little. I added you on my Snapchat and Insta."

"Thanks. I still don't have everyone yet. Anyways, they wanted to know who has the better abs – and I'm not telling them what I think. Do you think I should I put it on Instagram?"

"I'll do it!" she laughed, typing quickly. "Ohh, this is a tough decision – I think I have to go with Baz, though. I think Chris has bigger boobs than I do." She handed my phone over to the others. "Scarlett – which one's got better abs?"

"Chris of course," she said rolling her eyes at Lizzie. "Did you really think I wasn't going to say that?"

"Just because you dated him doesn't mean you like his abs better than Sebastian's," Sadie said, laughing. "Winterwidow could still happen!" I filed that tidbit away. I hadn't known Chris and Scarlett were an item.

"Should I wonder how you know who they are from just their torsos?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "I only know because I took the picture."

"You must not get out much," Scarlett laughed. "Chris has a ton of ink, which is actually not real common in our line of work. It's a pain to have to cover it with makeup when your ink doesn't fit with the character you're playing."

"Huh. I didn't know that. I was actually wondering if they were real because you can't see them on set."

"He's just lucky Vi likes him for the amount of work she's gotta do to make sure they don't show through his shirt - like this week when he's wearing that light gray tight Under Armor shirt."

"So how would you know who was who if Chris had his ink covered?" I asked, cocking my head to the side and looking at the picture again.

Scarlett grinned, "Basically, Chris has bigger pecs and a more triangular torso than Seb."

"Dorito!" Lizzie said, giggling. "Remember the Captain Dorito pics?"

"Was that what that was about? I hadn't seen the movies back then so I never got the reference. I just assumed it was because he was on the Cool Ranch Dorito bag for a while."

"Nope. It's all because of his shape. Seb's leaner and more uniformly built," Scarlett continued, smiling.

"Jaimie? What do you think?" Scarlett asked, passing my phone to Jaimie Alexander with a smirk.

The raven haired beauty looked at them for a moment before grinning at us. "Well, I have to say Chris Hemsworth has them both beat right now. Have you _seen_ his abs?"

"Of course," Lizzie snorted. "Who hasn't lately? Jaimie, that's not one of the choices tonight. Left or right?"

"Chris. Cobie, your turn. What do you think?" Jaimie asked, handing Cobie Smulders the phone.

"Hallelujah! – these be some fine looking abs, ladies," Cobie said, fanning herself. "I have to say right, though. Definitely Baz. Emily?"

Emily Van Camp stared at the photo for a long moment. "Ohmygosh this _is_ a hard decision!"

"Just go with your first choice, Em," Scarlett teased. "I know you're a Cap kind of girl."

"Just for that, I have to pick Baz," she said, laughing. "Sadie, what do you think?"

"I still can't decide; they both have great abs. Ask me later tonight when I'm drunk." Sadie handed me my phone. "I might pick one answer then."

"Don't worry – we will," Scarlett laughed. "Right, Megan?"

"Right. All right ladies. Shoes and purses – let's get this party moving!"

 


	6. May I Have This Dance?

Chris' POV

The girls were all on the dance floor by the time we met them at the second club. It looked like they were having a great time. We got our drinks and talked with some of our acquaintances that were here, catching up with the ones we didn't get to see often. That was the nice thing about this being such an exclusive place; if you weren't an A-lister, you wouldn't be here.

I finished my drink and headed out to the dance floor, coming up behind Sadie and putting my arms around her. She was startled for a moment but relaxed into me as soon as she knew who it was. "Having fun?"

"What are you guys doing here already?" Sadie asked, tipping her head back so she could see me. "Are you following us?"

I chuckled in her ear. "What's it look like? Assembling, Evie. Didn't you get your text?"

"Megan's got my phone right now. Next time _I_ wear the dress with pockets."

I felt her laughing and grinned, moving to the beat with her while still looking around for Megan. "Where is she?" I didn't see her on the dance floor right now. "She's here, right?"

"Yes she's here, no thanks to you and Mackie. I'm still pissed at you both. She's with Lizzie getting drinks," Sadie pointed and I finally saw her at the far side of the bar, leaning over to talk to the bartender.

"Thanks for the dance doll," I said, kissing her temple and letting go of her. "Look who Seb found for you to meet." I pointed to where they were standing and Sadie turned to me with wide eyes. He'd been talking to Channing Tatum last I saw. They'd become pretty good friends when they made _Logan Lucky_ . Word was that Channing was already cast for one of the scripts Sadie was currently considering reading for - which would make her day.

"Is that who I think it is?" she asked excitedly. I laughed, knowing she was a big fan of his.

"Go say hi to Chan for me, doll. I'll catch up with him later."

I pushed her to the edge of the floor and laughed when she halfheartedly protested my treatment of her. I turned around to see that the rest of the crew was still dancing so I came up to Lizzie and pretended to start a dance off with her, knowing she'd have to try to one-up me, Jeremy and Anthony getting in on it too. We laughed as we tried to keep outdoing each other until the song ended. This one was a slower one, so I turned and caught Scarlett's hand, giving her a smile as I pulled her closer.

"What are you up to, Evans?" she asked, sliding arms around my waist familiarly, one brow quirked at me.

"I'm not up to anything. I'm just dancing with a friend."

"Hmm. You sure about that? I see the way you keep looking at a certain redhead when you think she's not looking. She doesn't have a clue, does she?"

"No," I agreed. "She doesn't - and I'd like to keep it that way for now."

I had to glance over at Megan again, but she had her back to me right now. She was dancing with Tom Holland, her arms around his neck. I heard her laughing at whatever Tom said and he had a huge grin on his face; I mentally groaned – it looked like I wasn't the only one who liked Megan. While I was glad that Tom had someone he could relate to – he was so much younger than the rest of us that most of us treated him like an annoyingly peppy little brother - I also wanted to punch him right at this moment.

"If that's the way the wind blows why am I dancing with you?" she said, tipping her head up to look me in the eye, with a sultry smile I knew better than to trust on her full red lips when she'd been drinking.

"Good question," I said. "Why _are_ you dancing with me?" I asked Scarlett, focusing my attention on her as my hand stroked her face before sliding down her back and pulling her closer so her chest was brushing mine.

"Because I can - and so Emily can't," she added.

I sucked in a quick breath when she deliberately rubbed her hip against my cock, her smile widening when she felt me start to harden. I'd forgotten how much she liked to tease me when she'd been drinking, working me up until I couldn't take anymore then backing off, leaving me aching for more.

"Don't," I rasped, leaning down to speak in her ear. "Don't start something you won't finish."

"Who says I won't finish?" she asked as she put one hand on my chest, feeling my racing heartbeat as she rubbed her hip against me again under the guise of dancing. She had always been the bolder one of the two of us. "I'm just getting started."

"Scarlett," I warned her, my voice thick with desire as I leaned closer to quietly tell her everything I wanted to do to her - with her - just as payback for the teasing. I felt her shudder as my words reached her, teasing her without even having to touch her. Her breathing was shallow and faster than before, letting me know she was just as turned on as I was.

I stopped talking as the music ended and I dropped my hands from Scarlett, taking a step back and breaking the moment before we forgot we weren't alone. I needed a drink after that, because saying things out loud like that with people dancing around us felt like I was getting away with something.

"Sam Adams and two shots of tequila," I ordered, setting a bill on the counter.

"I thought we were supposed to avoid that tonight," Megan said as she came up next to me. She pulled her hair off her neck, trying to cool down. I signaled for two more shots and the bartender nodded.

"Only Sadie," I said, turning to look at her. The other bartender came over to her to ask what she wanted and she listed off three different things, so I knew they weren't for her. "Are you having fun tonight?" I asked when she'd finished her order.

"Of course – this place is amazing! I see why you guys like to come here."

I pushed a shot over in front of her and raised my glass. She didn't hesitate, only meeting my eyes with her wide forest green ones before neatly tossing it back, setting the empty glass on the bar with a click. I could feel her eyes on me as I took mine.

"I should really stay away from you, you know," she said, eyes still on me as she picked up the second shot that I pushed over to her. I indicated that I'd pay for her drinks as well and the bartender nodded, taking what he needed to cover them.

"Sadie told you that?" I asked in disbelief.

She shook her head and cocked it to the side and considered me for a moment. "No, at least not quite in that many words."

"Then why?"

She took her shot, setting the empty on the counter. "It's just better this way."

"What if I don't want you to stay away from me?"

"Someone like you can do better than someone like me. Even if I was single, I'm not part of your world," she said, indicating the glitterati on the dance floor before breaking eye contact and looking down; I could tell she believed what she was saying.

"Megan," I said, reaching for her slowly, giving her the choice to allow me to touch her, her wide forest green eyes meeting mine. "Are you afraid of me?"

She shook her head slowly, her lips parted slightly. "No," she said too quickly, her tone and actions belying her answer. "Why would I be scared of you?"

"I know you're not scared of me, but are you afraid of me?" I ran my thumb lightly over her knuckles, marveling at the softness of her skin.

"I don't want to cause any trouble," Megan said, gently taking her hand from mine.

*          *

"What's wrong?" Sadie asked as she came up next to me, indicating the shot glasses the bartender was just taking away now. I watched as Megan went back to the safety of the other girls, handing over the drinks.

"Nothing that a few more drinks won't fix," I said, taking a long swig of my beer to wash the taste of disappointment out of my mouth. "Need a drink, doll?"

"No, but it looks like you do. Talk to me, Chris - this isn't like you."

"Sadie, I love you, but you are the last person I want to talk to about this." Somehow I just knew that talking about her assistant to her would be a bad idea no matter how I phrased it.

"So it's a woman," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Scarlett or Megan?"

I was taking a drink and almost choked on my beer. I should know by now how direct Sadie was - she didn't beat around the bush. "What?"

"Which one is it? I know you heard me. I saw how you were dancing with Scarlett earlier and I know she's had enough to want to wind you up even if she has no intention of following through." We both looked over to see her dancing with Jeremey and I knew the direction things were headed there. It wasn't exactly a secret that he liked her and I hoped things worked out better for him than it had me.

"I miss her," I said, looking back at Sadie and knowing she understood better than anyone else how I felt about Scarlett. "I miss what we had together."

"I know you do, babe," she said, setting her hand on my arm and squeezing. "I know it hurts when things don't work out, really I do." She gave me an enigmatic smile. "I also know you're interested in Megan."

I just looked away from Sadie, unwilling to dig myself into a hole. "You were very clear that she's off limits, Sadie. Besides, she's already with someone."

I heard her sigh and looked back at her, seeing understanding in her golden brown eyes. "I know what I said and maybe I was out of line. You're both adults, Chris." I snorted, knowing that wasn't always her opinion of me. "I'm not going to tell you what you can and can't do – I'm not your mom, I'm just your friend."

"Best friend," I said as I pulled her into a tight hug. "Go have fun, doll. Don't you worry about me."

"Can't help it. It's in my contract – I'm allowed to worry about you."

"You worry too much," I said as I pulled her back out to the dance floor. "I found something of yours," I said as I handed her over to an amused Sebastian. "Try and keep her occupied for a while."   
  


*            *              *

Megan's POV

As I stood at the bar waiting for my drink, I looked back to watch Sadie and her friends on the dance floor just having a blast. Anthony had insisted on apologizing at least twenty more times until he was convinced I didn't really hate him. Now that I'd had time to cool down, some of his more inventive nicknames were kind of funny. I'd never been called _cinnamini_ before, that's for sure.

I'd been pulled into dancing with almost everyone at least once, except Chris. I'd successfully managed to avoid him for now. I hadn't missed the way he'd held onto Scarlett when I'd been dancing with Tom Holland. Tom was the only one in the group that was close to me in age and size. We really hit it off, talking like old friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time.

Paul, Jeremy, and Anthony liked to dirty dance, which was kind of fun but not how I normally danced. Sebastian was just plain goofy tonight so we did a crazy jump around thing to a techno song, which left Sadie doubled over in laughter and me needing a drink. I made my way to the bar, just ordering an Angry Orchard to change it up and fanning myself to cool down.

"I have to say you aren't what I expected when I heard Sadie hired a PA," an unfamiliar male voice said. I turned to see Robert Downy Jr standing there. "I'm Robert."

"Megan Jones," I said, holding out my hand. "It's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

"Good or bad?"

"Both – mostly good, though. I thought Baz said you weren't coming tonight?"

"Baz, huh?"

I shrugged. "He gave me a Romanian nickname, so he said to call him Baz."

"And what do you call Capsicle?"

"Huh?" I asked in confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Evans. Haven't you seen the movies? I call him that a lot."

"I just finished watching _The Avengers_ yesterday. I think _Winter Soldier_ is next or maybe it's _Iron_ _Man 3_ \- I'm not really sure."

"Personally I'd go with _Iron Man_ but we've got to get you up to speed, kid - you haven't even seen your boss' movies yet. So what are you doing here tonight?"

"Sadie asked me to come with," I said, taking a long drink. "I've been keeping track of things, mostly: the limo, the tab, phones, that kind of stuff."

"Sadie brought her PA out clubbing," Robert said with a frown, ordering a drink. "So where is she?"

"Last I knew she was dancing with Emily or Jaimie," I said, pointing over to the section of the dance floor we'd been on but not seeing them right now. "I can't tell if she's there or not. Too many tall people around."

"Yeah, I'd noticed you were vertically challenged. Are you taller than Scarlett?"

"Nope. Even without shoes she's got me beat by a half inch. I'll take you to them if you want; I was just heading back out there."

"I'll follow you," he said, taking a drink. "So who are you with?"

"Excuse me?" I asked, stopping short.

"Don't play coy. Are you with Evans, Renner or Holland? Mackie and Rudd are married and Sadie's got Seb wrapped around her little finger."

"None of the above," I said, crossing my arms and giving him a look. "I have a boyfriend already and I'm not in the market to trade him in for a showier model, not that it's any of your business."

"Wrong – if it pertains to the cast, then it's my business, Red." He gave me such a smug look that I wanted to slap his face, but I didn't because that would be stupid.

"So have Sadie fire me then if you don't like me," I said, calling his bluff. "I don't work for you and I won't stop you. It's already been a shitty day - what's one more crappy thing?" Tears threatened to fall as I turned to walk away from him, only to be stopped short by his hand firmly grabbing my arm.

"Wait, Red-"

"My name is Megan," I said brusquely, "Did you just have another insult for me that you needed to get in tonight? If so, fire away."

I bit my trembling lower lip as a tear slid down my face and I pulled my arm away from him, darting into the ladies room before I ruined my makeup a second time tonight. I was alone in there, so grabbed some tissue and blotted under my eyes, trying to keep the damage to a minimum. I was overly warm now, so I took off my shrug and fanned myself as I got myself under control, these tears more from anger than anything else. I swear my tear ducts were hardwired to my temper - the angrier I got, the more likely I was to cry.

Luckily I'd used waterproof mascara and eyeliner, so it wasn't too bad. I reapplied my lipstick and blew my nose, waiting for the redness to fade a little from my cheeks. After washing my hands, I peeked out the door. Not seeing him, I decided it was safe to exit and took my shrug and drink, heading back over to our table.

"I thought I was going to have to send someone in for you," Robert said in my ear from behind me as I scanned the dance floor.

"Geez!" I jumped and took a step away from him, putting some space between us. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Don't run, Megan."

"Not gonna lie; I wasn't expecting to have to talk to you ever again," I said, giving him a long look. "I was just looking for Sadie to tell her I was going to leave."

"I think we got off on the wrong foot."

I gave him a long look. "Whatever gave you that impression?"

"Several things - but that's not the point. The point is I shouldn't have implied that, well-"

"That I was a slut and/or whore? Not really very nice of you, Robert. I didn't care for that at all."

He winced. "It sounds even worse when you say it like that."

"Not many other ways to say what you meant, honestly." I took a drink and considered him for a moment. "If _this_ is your idea of an apology-"

"I'm sorry, Megan. Really - I am sorry for insulting you. It was uncalled for."

"What made you realize that?" I asked curiously.

"Sadie...might have had a few choice words to say about it...and if you really were just a gold-digger, you would have been trying to make me like you. I'm currently worth more than the rest of the team combined."

"No ego there," I snorted. "How exactly did you manage to get through the door with that big of a head?"

He barked out a laugh, surprising me again. "You I like. Not many people would stand up to me like that."

"Why not?"

"Because of who I am."

"So because you're famous you can say whatever you want to people?" I said, turning to stare at him in shock.

"Pretty much."

"You really do suck at apologies," I said, looking over at him. "You know that?"

"I'm not very good at them so I tend to try and keep them short," he said with a grin. He held his hand out to me. "I believe this is my dance."

"As you wish," I replied, setting down my drink. He chuckled as I took his hand, letting him lead me onto the dance floor.

"My, my - Wesley - how you've changed from the last time I saw you," he said with a smile.

"Why Buttercup, I was thinking the same about you," I said sweetly.

*       *

Jaimie bumped hips with me as a new song came on – one of my favorites. "I love this song!" she said, pulling me over to a more open spot so we could really get into it.

"Do you know how to jitterbug?" Sadie asked when I'd finished my drink and the next song with the right beat came on. We both knew it wasn't really a jitterbug, it was more of a country swing dance if you wanted to get technical, but that's what we called it back home.

"Of course!" I grinned and held out my hands to her and we started moving through the steps only to be separated when we unsurprisingly missed the first behind the back catch - I always missed that one when I was dancing with a woman, not used to taking the other side of the steps.

"Mind if we cut in?" Firm arms held me tightly and I blinked up into a pair of steel blue eyes in surprise for a second.

"Not at all," I said as Chris smoothly stepped back and took my hands in his to start moving through the steps with me. I loved to dance and I could tell he'd done this before, so I let myself follow his lead through more complicated figures, laughing in delight as he even flipped me a couple times - something I couldn't have done with Sadie.

He was an excellent partner, easy to follow as he guided me though the twists and turns I hadn't done in a long time, my body remembering what my brain had forgotten. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Sebastian was smoothly going through the steps with Sadie, just not flipping her. Tom Holland and Scarlett were on the other side of us, not quite as fluid but still knowing the basic parts of the dance. Scarlett was the perfect size for Tom to do the moves with, being just enough smaller than he was.

Somehow we'd attracted a crowd, the rest of the people on the floor having made a space for us, the moves requiring a little more floor space than most dances. I was breathing hard when I finished the final spin, Chris pulling me tight to him as the music ended and applause broke out.

I looked over at Sadie, who was laughing up at Sebastian and taking a bow, along with Scarlett and Tom on the far side of them.

"I've never gotten applause for dancing before," I said to Chris when he let go of me so we could take a bow. "This is just how we do it back home."

"You were great. Not many people around here know how to swing dance quite like that."

"I'm surprised you know how," I said, letting Chris pull me closer for the slow dance that was starting, twirling me before putting one hand on my back, his much larger hand completely enveloping mine. His arm was incredibly firm under my hand; the muscles shifting under my fingers. For the first time ever, I felt like I was where I belonged and it was simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying.

"I've been doing all kinds of dances since I was a kid. My Ma's a dance teacher, so I can do everything from tap dancing to the waltz. Sadie's brothers taught me and Seb at one of her cousin's wedding dances back in South Dakota."

"That explains it. How about ballet?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I managed to skip out on that one – Dad put his foot down."

I laughed at his relieved expression and told him about my failed attempt learn ballet as a kid. I didn't resist when he pulled me closer on the crowded floor, adeptly preventing collisions with other drunken dancers.

His eyes held mine, and I found myself getting lost in their vivid blue depths. When he held me this close, his arms firmly around me so he was the only thing I could feel, his intoxicating distinctly male scent all that I could smell, I found it hard to remember why I shouldn't be attracted to him when I kept wanting to know what his lips would feel like on mine. Just in the nick of time, the music ended, forcing me to return to reality.

"You have to let me go, Chris." I said, intending to take a step back from him to find that I couldn't move, his strong arms still locked around me, holding me to him.

"I don't want to," he said in a low voice, his eyes holding mine.

"You have to," I took a deep breath, my chest aching from denying what I felt. "This - whatever this is - it can't happen."

While I was incredibly attracted to him, it would be better for both of us if I didn't let myself get involved. I wasn't the kind of girl someone like him was normally seen with. He reluctantly released me, his hands sliding down my arms to take my hands in his as I desperately tried to find the strength to walk away from him before I did something stupid like fall for him.

 

* * *

Chris' POV

Time slowed as I looked into her eyes. I knew I should let her go, but I didn't want to. She fit so perfectly in my arms it was like she was made just for me. I'd been looking for someone like her for so long that I'd started to wonder if I'd ever find who I was searching for. When she was right here by my side, looking me in the eyes - I caught a glimpse of heaven. If this is what Seb felt for Sadie no wonder he fought to keep her close to him even when she couldn't be his.

Her scent mingled with mine as I pulled her closer on the crowded floor, shifting colored lights shining on her brilliant hair making her almost look ethereal. I could see the rapid beat of her pulse in the hollow of her throat and her lips parted as she took a deeper breath. Her fingers tightened on my hand almost imperceptibly and I knew she wasn't as unaffected as she tried to make me believe.

As much as I didn't want to let go of her right now, this wasn't the place or the time to make her see that I had no intention of just letting her walk away. Robert came up just then as the music ended, putting an arm around my shoulder and pulling me away from her. She slipped away from me, disappearing into the crowd.

"Come get a drink with me, Evans," Robert said, steering me to the bar. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I asked him, seeing her slip away from me. "I don't need a drink!"

"Saving your bacon. She's good, I'll give her that; almost had me convinced she wasn't interested in any of you guys."

"What are you talking about?"

"Redhead about yay high? Ring any bells?"

"Megan? What's wrong with dancing with her? I didn't exactly give her an opportunity to decline."

"Of course you didn't. There's dancing and then there's _dancing_. If you were thinking with your brain instead of your dick, you'd see how stupid you're acting, drawing attention to her with that little show you guys put on a little bit ago. Check your phone."

I pulled it out and checked my various social media sites. "So Lizzie put up a video of us all dancing? So what?"

"She tagged us all in it. You remember how Sadie reacted when that happened to her, right?" Robert asked, rolling his eyes.

"I was there. That was a way different kind of thing, Bob. What did she do to get on your bad side so quickly? Have you even met her yet?" I looked over to see Megan dancing with the other girls and ignoring the rest of the guys on the dance floor that were trying to get her attention.

"We've met," he snapped, crossing his arms. "She's too good to be true. She's pretty but not too pretty, has a good personality, little bit of a temper to keep her from being too boring, not in awe of us - too good to be true."

"You forgot accident prone," I said, raising an eyebrow. "I've just barely caught her twice - once as she fell coming out from Seb's trailer - and Tom Hiddleston's already caught her once today."

"Better," he said, nodding. "A flaw is good. So you and Scarlett really are through?"

"We're just friends. Her choice, not mine."

"So your interest in Red has nothing to do with the fact they're the same height, size and has the same color of hair as Scarlett's character?"

I snorted and shook my head, not even sure what to say to that. "She's more Ariel than Natasha Romanoff, but don't call her that because she doesn't like being called Ariel."

"Can't say I blame her," Robert said with a laugh. "Although the analogy is fairly apt. She's not part of your world."

 

*          *            *

Megan's POV

I took a couple pictures of the group having fun as I waited for my drink. I slipped off my shrug, feeling a little overheated after all that exertion. I heard my name and turned to see Tom Hiddleston coming up next to me. He ordered a drink as I people watched, taking it all in and turning back to him when I was aware of his eyes on me.

"Hey Tom. Are you having fun?" I said, looking up at him. He was quite handsome, with his reddish brown hair slightly mussed and his smiling blue eyes focused on me, a grin spreading across his face.

"I am. Going out with this lot is certainly never dull."

"I'm sure not," I laughed as we watched Paul toss Emily over his shoulder and spin her until they were both dizzy. "Is this normal?"

"Perhaps a definition of that word is in order," he said, taking a drink. "But yes, this is actually quite normal for a team night out."  Another slow song came on and he held his hand out to me. "Megan, might I have the pleasure of this dance?"

"Of course Tom," I replied, taking his hand in mine. We stopped at the table we'd been using by the edge of the dance floor so we could set our drinks down. Draping my shrug on a chair, I let him tug me onto the floor. Pivoting smoothly, I took his hand, stepping closer and resting my other hand on his bicep as he set one hand on my waist. I followed his lead easily; I'd had enough to drink that I just let myself move with him - he was an excellent dancer, very light on his feet. I wasn't even sure what style of dance we were doing - I never remembered the names. I just knew this wasn't the usual slow dance that could be done on one square of the floor.

"Your dance earlier was quite interesting. I've never seen anything like that before," Tom said, looking down at me with a little smile.

"We call it a jitterbug back home, but that's not really what it is. I feel like I should have picked higher heels tonight," I said, attempting to look up at him without leaning back and putting myself off balance. "You're a lot taller than I am."

"I think you look delightful in those ones, Megan. If you feel small beside me, you should meet Chris."

"Which one? Pine, Pratt or Hemsworth? I've learned there's a lot of Chris' in your line of work."

"Hemsworth," he said with a smile. "You've been doing your homework."

"Why thank you, Thomas," I said, mimicking his accent. "I've been trying. I do love listening to you speak, but you probably get that a lot here in the States." I felt him chuckle as I looked around for Sadie, seeing her dancing with Chris about 10 feet away, laughing and talking as they moved in sync and I had to remind myself yet again of the many reasons why I shouldn't be attracted to Chris. Instead, I tried to focus on the handsome man I was currently dancing with.

"You're very convincing. Do you think you can keep it up for the rest of the night?"

I grinned and looked back up at him, staying in the accent. "Oooh, a wager? How delightful! Whatever should the stakes be?"

"Hmm, allow me to think on that. There has to be a winner, of course."

"Of course! It isn't a wager if there isn't, but I think if I'm to be British, then you have to be American so we're equally challenged."

"I can do that," he said, changing his smooth baritone to be more American.

I laughed, hearing that he wasn't quite there yet. "Try that again, Thomas. I'm afraid that attempt simply won't pass muster."

"Are you mocking me, vexing mortal?" he said, standing taller and taking on Loki's voice, wiping the smile from his face.

I only giggled, enjoying the conversation. "Loki isn't American either, Thomas. Try again."

He laughed loudly, drawing attention to us. "I can't help it. No – I can do it, really I can."

I patted his arm. "I have faith in you, darling. That was starting to get closer. Did I mention that when we were bored as kids we used to talk like this for _days_ for the sole purpose of annoying our parents?"

He twirled me and pulled me back into his arms. "I'm going to lose, aren't I?"

"Maybe, maybe not. What are the stakes, darling?"

"If I win, you go out to dinner and a show with me."

I gaped at him. "I feel compelled to remind you I have a boyfriend."

"What bearing does that have to do on two friends going out to dinner?" Tom asked, raising an eyebrow to punctuate his logical statement.

"Nothing, but how does that motivate me to lose? What about if I win?"

"If you win, I'll do something annoyingly American with you. I'm sure you can think of something."

I considered that for a moment while he twirled me again. "Like go to a Broncos game with me?" Tom looked at me in confusion. "They're an American football team and I'm a big fan; the football season's just getting started – no Rugby here."

He nodded in understanding. "I see – yes, that _would_ be annoyingly American. If that's what you choose, so be it."

"All right. So until we get back to Chris', I shall sound like you and you must sound like one of those bloody Colonists. Starting now?"

He laughed again, giving me a smile. "Deal. I find myself looking forward to this, Megan."

"As do I. I can't wait to see you in navy blue and orange; you're going to wear a jersey as well!"

"What a horrible color scheme," he said with a shudder, letting me go as the music ended. "I shall have to win if only to avoid that outfit."

"You really shouldn't count your chickens before they hatch, darling," I said as I went back to get my drink. "Hello darling," I said to Lizzie as she came up back to the table. "Where's the loo in this place?"

"Why are you talking like the Toms?" Lizzie asked as she linked arms with me. "And I'll go with you." She steered us through the crowd easily, knowing where she was going. The bathroom was almost empty, which surprised me.

I waited until we were both out of our stalls and pulled my lipstick out of my small clutch to put more on. This brand just didn't stay like my favorite one, but if I lost it I wouldn't be as upset. "Thomas and I have a small wager going. He agreed to speak like an American and I must retain this British accent until the end of the night. At least I can do British better than I can Australian or something like that." I grinned at her in the mirror and handed her the lipstick. "Here Liz - yours is almost gone too."

"Thanks. Do you like him?" she asked, meeting my eyes in the mirror. "He's very handsome."

"Taken, not looking, so I don't like him like that. Are you okay with this wager? I thought someone said you'd dated Thomas a while back."

"I'm more amused than anything else," she said with a laugh. "I'm pretty sure you like Holland better anyways."

"He's funny, but I just met him and I don't think I like him like that either. He's also a few years younger than I am, which - let's be honest is typically a turn-off."

"True. I tend to go for older guys-"

"Experienced guys?" I cut in with a wink.

Lizzie grinned knowingly. "There's something to be said for a man with experience. This sounds really fun – I'm so telling him if you slip up," she laughed, capping my lipstick and handing it back to me.

"Please feel free to do so, because I shan't. If I win he must attend a Broncos game with me - in full regalia!"

She laughed. "Oh, that's good! Torture the British guy with American football. I love it! So who's spying on him for you?"

"Do I need a spy? I'm fairly certain that he will report himself if he does slip up."

Lizzie tucked a stray strand of hair back and I finger combed mine, picking it up off my neck to cool down. "Robert – I know he'd do it!" She grabbed me by the hand and drug me out of the bathroom and over to Robert, talking a mile a minute when she got his attention while I got us more drinks, not particularly eager to ask a favor of him.

"Lizzie – I only met him once. What makes you so certain he'll do it? What about Baz?"

"Baz is a good backup, but he'll do it because it'll be entertaining; Robert loves a good joke."

*     *

"So you want me to be your double agent?" Robert asked, laughing when Lizzie finally let him get in a word edgewise. I handed her a cocktail, sipping on a water. I needed to keep my head if I was going to win.

"That's correct," I said, nodding. "Lizzie doesn't believe I should trust Thomas."

"You shouldn't - not when there's a bet going on. A football game? That's the best you could do, Red?"

"What is possibly more American than football, Robert?" I said, daring him to name something. "And the name is Megan, Robert."

"You're quite good at this, Megan," he said, raising an eyebrow. "I've got nothing, so I suppose you're right - football is a pretty good choice."

"Will you agree to be our double agent?"

"Out of curiosity, who was your second choice?"

"Baz," I said without hesitation. "I trust him."

"But you thought of me first?" We nodded. "Okay, I'll do it."

"Yes!" Lizzie said, bouncing excitedly, kissing him on the cheek.

"Thank you, kind sir." I curtsied, making him laugh. My phone buzzed and I pulled it out to look at it. "If you'll excuse us, we need to head to the next location on the list."

"And where would that be?" he asked.

"Provac," Lizzie said, downing her drink and giggling. "Ashley's meeting us there."

"Thank you, Robert. Lizzie, let's get the rest of the girls."

We quickly rounded everyone up and I paid the tab, making me the last to leave the club.

"Anyone want the cute bartender's mobile?" I asked with a giggle as I climbed in the limo and shut the door. "He wrote it on the receipt I got for you, Sadie." The others just laughed and I put the slip of paper back in my clutch.

"So tell me about this bet, Megan. Whose idea was it?" Sadie asked when I got into the limo. "Yours or Tom's?"

"His. I was simply mimicking him when he suggested it. So I must keep this up until we get back to your place and he has to sound like an American. If I win, Thomas must attend a Broncos game with me," I said with a grin as Sadie laughed.

"And if you lose?" Cobie asked, raising an eyebrow. "What then?"

"Then I would have to go out to dinner with him," I shrugged. "I hate to lose, though. Can't you just picture Thomas in a Broncos jersey? It would be priceless!" I laughed so hard at that image I had tears in my eyes - and I wasn't the only one.

"Chris has been trying to get him to go to a Patriots game forever," Scarlett admitted when she finally quit laughing. "He'd be _pissed_ if you took Hiddles to a Broncos game first. I'm so going to try to get him to mess up."

 

*          *         *

Chris' POV

"Tom, why do you sound like us?" I heard Anthony ask Tom Hiddleston as we headed out the door on our way to the limo. "There has to be a reason other than you're tired of sounding like a snob."

"I'm trying to win a bet, as you say it," Tom replied.

"Who did you make a bet with?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "And why?"

"The lovely Megan. I'm not actually sure how it started, but it was my idea - so now I must blend in for the rest of the evening or until we return to Chris' – whichever happens first."

"And if you lose?" Jeremy asked. "What then?"

"I'll be forced to attend one of your bloody American football games. I don't recall the name of the team, but it's one she follows."

"If you win?" I asked, trying to stamp out the jealousy I was currently feeling that Tom was going to be spending one-on-one time with Megan.

He gave us a satisfied smile. "When I win, she's agreed to go out for dinner with me. The challenge is worth the risk - and I don't intend to lose."

"You know she's got a boyfriend, right?" Sebastian said.

"So I have been reliably informed," Tom replied. "But just because she has one now doesn't mean she will in the future - we didn't specify a time frame. I can be a patient man when it's called for."

"How much of Loki was you and how much of you is Loki?" Paul asked, clapping him on the back. "That sounded a little more evil villain than I'm used to hearing from you lately. Here I was thinking you'd reformed."

"Well Tom, there's no way she's taking you to a football game before I do," I said. "And since Megan's from Colorado, I'm going to assume her team is the Broncos. The Patriots are a much better team if you want to see a real game."

"Then we just have to make sure she loses," Jeremy said, elbowing me. "Shouldn't be hard, right?"

*       *

"I thought you said this shouldn't be hard?" I asked Jeremy as we got another round of drinks. The girls were on the dance floor already and probably had been for a while before we got here.

"Who knew she was so good at the accent?" he griped. "Get her another drink or something - maybe that will help."

"I've got a better idea," I said, ordering an assorted tray of shots. We had them brought over to our table, waving the team over and handing them out.

"What's this for?" Scarlett asked, coming up next to me. I handed her tequila and something colorful.

"I want to take shots – so everyone's gonna take them with me. Drink up," I ordered.

Sadie and Megan were the last ones over to us, Jeremy having to go fetch them from the edge of the dance floor. Sadie just shook her head at me, but I handed her an apple pie shot while Megan got tequila.

"Why thank you kindly, sir," she said in a British accent, tossing it back like a pro. "Thomas, darling – you're still going to lose."

"Can I just say how awesome you sound, Meg?" Tom Holland said, putting an arm around her easily. "It's almost like partying with my mates back home. Cheers!" he said, handing her another shot while he took his first.

"I'll wager you also don't know I used to be a waitress at a place like this in the Cities before I came to New York. After we closed for the night we could drink for free," she said with a grin and I knew what she was getting at.

"So you drink like a fish?" Anthony said. "Damn girl. Where were you at our last party?"

"Most likely not in New York," she said with a grin, poking me in the chest. "Evans, I can match you shot for shot and still be standing."

"Oooh – challenge!" Lizzie said, turning to her sister. "Ashley, do think they'll let us just buy the bottle?"

"Of course they will. What are you drinking?"

"Tequila," Megan said, "The good stuff, darling – not that fake mixto." She took off her little shrug and draped it over the back of the chair and pulled her hair off her neck to cool it off, fanning herself with her hands.

I grinned, knowing that at 185 pounds and with my higher metabolism I could do about 15 more shots before I needed to call it a night. At roughly 110 pounds, there was no way Megan should be able to do that many.

"You're on Ariel!"

"How many times must I inform you that is not my name, Mr Evans?" Her phone buzzed then and she glanced at it, the smile sliding from her face and her tone going serious. "Pray excuse me; I must take this call." She walked away abruptly, bringing the phone up as she headed outside.

"Tom, go with her to make sure she gets back in all right," I said to Holland. "You've been here before and she hasn't." If she went out the door that was over there she wouldn't be able to get back in without walking around to the front - and without us, they wouldn't let her in.

"On it!" he said, following her through the crowd.

"Anything I should know about?" I asked Sadie as I came up behind her and Scarlett. "What's wrong - other than those marks on her arms?"

"Earlier - on our way to this club - she said that her boyfriend saw the pictures of us playing cards at your house earlier. None of them were bad or anything, so the only one I think he probably objected to was the one where Tom's got his arm around her while she's smiling at you," Sadie said.

"What's wrong with pictures of friend's hanging out?"

"Nothing - until Lizzie tagged her in a video of you two dancing," Scarlett said, meeting my eyes. "It's trending already."

"Shit!" I said, running a hand through my hair.

"What the hell are those marks on her arms?" Sebastian said as he came over to us, his expression murderous. "They look like handprints."

"They are," I growled. "You saw them too?"

"Couldn't miss them," Scarlett said and Sadie nodded her agreement. "The one on her wrist is the newest. Is that where Mackie grabbed her earlier?"

I nodded. "He saw it and apologized to her again; she just said she bruises easily and shrugged it off."

"She must think it's dark enough in here that we wouldn't notice them," Sebastian said, stroking his beard, looking after where she went.

"She's got bruises on her back, too," Sadie added. "I saw them when we were getting ready tonight. It's like she was grabbed like this," she put her small hands on my biceps - she wasn't even able to reach enough around them to grip onto me, "and slammed into something. That's the only explanation I can think of."

"She's so small it wouldn't take a very big guy to be able to do that to her," Sebastian said. "What's this jerk look like?"

Sadie showed us a picture on her phone. "I found this on her Facebook page. That's Andy - and they live together."

"Not if we can get her away from him," Scarlett suggested.

"She can stay at my place," I said. "Sadie, you don't ever use the guest room anyways."

"Or she can stay with me," Sebastian said. "I've got plenty of room and I'm hardly ever there either. When do you leave for home, Sadie?"

"Wednesday - which won't give her enough time to find a place even if she wanted to, so that's a great idea, guys," Sadie said, giving us both an approving smile.

"We'll see what we can do," Scarlett said. "But we can't just confront her about it and ask her 'does your boyfriend beat you?' That's never going to work."

"We'll have our shot challenge and see if she says anything," I said with a sigh.

"Pretend like everything's normal?" Sadie asked, nodding slightly.

"At least until she's drunk enough to talk about it," Scarlett added.

"What else can we do?" I asked, looking at them. "She hasn't known us long enough for anything else."

"I won't just let this go," Sadie said. "Even if he might not actually hit her yet it's only a matter of time."


	7. Challenge

Megan's POV

When my phone rang for what seemed like the 20th time in ten minutes - all of them Andy - I knew I should answer it if only to get him to stop calling. There was a small chance it was actually important, but I doubted it. Andy didn't like it when I went out without him and tended to call and text a lot on the rare occasion I did have a girls night.

"Hold on, I'm going outside so I can hear you," I said to Andy as I wove my way through the dance floor, heading to a side door I'd noticed earlier and pushing it open. "Can you hear me now Andy?"

Andy answered right away with a cheerful and _slurred_ , "Yeah - now I can, Meggy!"

I sighed, knowing right then that he wasn't sober. "Is something wrong? Why have you called so many times?"

"I kep' tryin' to call ya but ya din' answer. Where _are_ you?"

I sighed heavily. "I'm out with Sadie and the girls."

"Why's ya talkin' funny? Ya sound all fancy and shit."

"I'm trying to win a bet. Are you drunk or high?" I asked, pinching the bridge of my nose. My guess was both for how he sounded, which he confirmed a moment later.

"Both. You drunk, Meggy?"

"Not yet," I said through gritted teeth. I wished I was if I was going to have to talk to him when he wasn't sober. "And stop calling me Meggy. You know I don't particularly care for that nickname."

"I saw them pix, Meggy."

"So? There's nothing wrong with me hanging out with people other than you."

"But them guys is all over ya - 'specially the one ya danced with. Which one is he? I'm gonna beat him for touchin' ya. You're _my_ girl."

"You can't do that Andy," I reminded him. "They'll put you in jail if you go trying to punch people again - especially famous people. Yes, the rest of the team is here now too and I danced with them. Doesn't mean anything, we were just having a good time. There's no reason I can't have fun out dancing with them."

I was going to need those shots yet to keep my patience with him yet. I tried to stop myself from thinking about how many people were liking and sharing the video of me and Chris dancing - it'd already hit over 300,000 likes. Lizzie had tagged the whole team in it, so anyone who followed them would see it pop up on their walls as well.

"They don't gotta be touchin' ya. Yer my girl - not theirs!" Andy said sullenly. "When ya comin' home tonight? We're all hangin' out at our place. Come home 'n join us."

"I'm not coming home tonight," I said, knowing full well if they were hanging out at our apartment, it was going to reek of pot smoke for days. My temper went straight to boiling point; thanks to my inconsiderate boyfriend, I was now going to have to wash all my clothes _again_ just to get the fucking smell out of them so I didn't smell like a stoner.

"Why not Meggy?" Andy whined. "I wan' ya to come home."

 _Because I really don't want to hang out with your loser pot smoking buddies,_ is what I really wanted to say but I didn't, instead trying to cut the conversation short. "Andy, I have to go. Sadie's waiting for me inside."

"You ain' comin' home tonight?"

I was losing patience with him fast; he didn't retain information well when he was this drunk and stoned. "I thought we talked about this earlier, Andy? I told you I'm staying at Sadie's tonight. We won't be in until late and you hate it when I wake you up after I've been out with the girls."

"Fine! Be that way," he spat out venomously. "If yer new ' _friends_ ' are tha' much _cooler_ than me and Seth, don' bother comin' home tonight. See if I care!"

I was really glad I wasn't near him in the condition he was in. I sighed, suddenly not wanting to deal with this anymore - tiptoeing around his moods. The scales had fallen from my eyes and I'd had enough to drink that I simply said, "Then I won't. I can't do this anymore, Andy. I'm done fighting over stupid shit."

He laughed in disbelief, and I could tell he didn't think I was serious. "I'm the best thing tha's ever happened to you, Meggy."

"No, you aren't," I said quickly, not giving myself time to think about it further. I was going to be leaving town for a couple weeks in a few days - and even if I wasn't, the way he'd been acting towards me lately didn't really make we want to stay with him anymore.

"But I love you!"

"No, Andy - I don't think you do. If you really did care about me you wouldn't be smoking weed at our place, and you'd be nicer to me, not pushing me around and standing me up like you did tonight."

"I just forgot, tha's all. You coulda called me 'n I'da met ya there."

My temper flared at that and I knew that he'd never had any intention of meeting me for supper because that would have interfered with his plans. "I _did_ try calling but _you_ didn't answer. You've forgotten a lot of things lately since you've been stoned so much lately, like how sick it makes me to be around you when you smoke pot."

"Don' know why it makes you sick. Don' make Rayna sick and _she_ likes my friends." Which meant he didn't care if being around it made me sick as long as he got to hang out with his friends and do whatever the hell he wanted to do.

"Good for Rayna," I snapped. "I don't care what she likes."

I suddenly had a sneaking suspicion about Andy's involvement with Rayna. I'd noticed that lately he'd been hiding his phone screen from me when he texted, he was going out more and sometimes not coming home - saying he was at Seth's if I asked. Now that I thought of it, he'd been gone a lot in the past two weeks and while I'd never heard him mention her before, I also knew that in his current inebriated condition he'd tell me the truth if I asked the right questions.

"Andy, have you been kissing Rayna?" I asked, knowing I wasn't going to like the answer.

"Yeah," he said after a moment. "She kiss' real good and she got nice big tits - bigger 'n yours, Meggy." That was followed by a feminine squeak as he probably squeezed her boobs, meaning she was right there _next to him_ while we were talking, making me even angrier at him.

"You disgust me, you bloody cheater! Don't ever fucking call me again," I spat out angrily. "We're through."

I abruptly hung up, going as far as turning my phone off so I wouldn't have to talk to him again tonight. I was fuming, not really having expecting this from him but if I took into consideration how he'd been acting lately, it shouldn't have been a surprise. I blinked rapidly, not wanting to cry because he wasn't worth it - not at all. I leaned my head back against the cold brick, looking up at the sky - not that I could see the stars here in the city until I heard the door open beside me.

"Megan," a lightly accented voice said and I looked over to see Tom Holland sticking his head out the side door. "Are you okay?"

"Tom?" I said, my voice shakier than I would have liked to hear. "What are you doing out here?"

"Making sure you're all right. They don't usually let you back in if you go out this door," he explained, looking around nervously. "Hurry in."

"I'm sorry, Tom. I wasn't thinking," I said as I went through the door he was holding for me. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough," he said, meeting my eyes. "But if that arsehole was cheating on you then you're better off without him."

"I know – that's one thing I won't tolerate in a boyfriend, but I don't have to deal with him anymore tonight."

"That shouldn't be the only thing you don't tolerate," Tom declared, pulling me into his arms and hugging me. All of these guys were big huggers and I was still getting used to that. "Does he hurt you, Megan?"

"No," I said after a moment, tucking my face into his neck and just taking a couple deep breaths to calm myself. He was the perfect height for someone as short as I was and smelled nice, a combination of laundry soap and cologne.

"You're lying, sweets - I'm not blind - I can see these here," I stilled as he gently touched my biceps right where my bruises were. "These had to have hurt when he gave them to you for as dark as they are."

I slid my arms around his waist so he had to move his hands, not wanting to say anything about them to him. He put his arms around me, intending to give me a hug and instead causing pain to shoot down my back when he accidentally pressed on one of my more painful bruises on my shoulder blade. I hissed, arching my back as tears sprang to my eyes and I had to blink rapidly to keep them from falling. He instantly removed his hands when he realized why I was reacting that way, his eyes finding mine.

"I'm so sorry, Megan. Are there - are there more bruises on your back?"

I hesitated, just staring into his concerned dark chocolate eyes, my teeth worrying my lower lip. He took my hand in his, his thumbs gently rubbing the backs of my hands and I knew then that he wasn't going to let go until I gave him an answer, so I nodded once, swallowing hard.

"I understand if you don't feel comfortable talking to me about this, but I want you to promise to talk to Sadie about this soon." He pulled back from me just enough to see my face, bringing one hand up to cup my face lightly. "Please?"

I nodded, trying to look away from his earnest face but he only shifted so I couldn't. "I will. Eventually - just not right now, Tom."

"Good," he said, hugging me carefully. "Are you ready to go take some shots now? You did challenge Chris."

"Hell yeah," I said with a grin. "Shots sound great right now. You're going to think I'm an argumentative person after tonight."

"Say it like this," Tom said, smiling as he pronounced 'argumentative' for me properly. "You were close. And no, I don't think you are, Megan. I find you to be quite the breath of fresh air. We've never had so much fun out as a group before."

"Thank you, Tom." I kissed his cheek and stepped back, taking a deep breath. "How did you know I needed to hear that just now?"

"I've been on the receiving end of a fair number of breakups myself," he said quietly, his face falling slightly.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why anyone would ever break up with you," I said, linking my arm with his and letting him lead us back over to the others. "You're such a sweetheart."

He flashed me a quick smile before looking away and shrugging. "Tends to happen when I'm gone for months at a time for filming, press tours, that kind of stuff. You'll see; Sadie has to do all that stuff too, which means you're really going to get to travel."

"I like to travel - how do you think I wound up in New York? So did I break voice character yet?"

He gave me a boyish grin. "Not once! As much as I'd like to see my fellow Brit win, I have to admit you're doing rather well."

"It's rather fun, playing pretend like this. Is that why you like acting?"

"I get to be someone else and get paid for it, so yes."

"Thank you for coming out for me, Tom."

"You're welcome, Megan. Sadie never would've forgiven me if you'd gotten stuck outside."

"You and Sadie are pretty close, aren't you?"

"She saved my life," he said simply, meeting my eyes. "She didn't have to, but she did - and there's no way I can ever repay her for that."

 

*        *        *

Megan's POV

When we reached the dance floor, Tom let go of my arm to pull me along by the hand, agilely weaving his way through the packed floor. The group was where we'd left them and they'd poured out a bunch of shots, so they must have convinced the bartender to sell them the whole bottle of tequila. I let go of Tom's hand as we came up next to Sadie.

"Are you okay?" she asked, a worried look on her face.

"I'll be fine, boss. Sorry about that; I had to get rid of some rubbish."

"Andy?" she asked, searching my face. "Tell me you broke up with him."

I nodded, lips twisting wryly. "The arsehole's been cheating on me – and _he_ had the nerve to accuse _me_ of cheating!"

"Let me guess - the day you broke that bottle of cologne? I'm sure you still smelled like it when you got home. It took all night to get the smell out completely; I think I can still smell it sometimes."

"I think so too. That was some pretty strong stuff!" I said with a grimace. "But yeah, since I came home reeking of men's cologne, I must be cheating. It took forever to get rid of the smell – I'm convinced those shoes still smell like it."

"There you are!" Chris said when he turned around and saw me, smiling and holding out a hand to me. "I thought you'd chickened out or something. Are you sure you still want to do this?"

I raised an eyebrow at him as I let him pull me closer to him, feeling like I couldn't catch my breath under his direct stare and the fact he was still touching me didn't help. I let go of his hand, taking a deep breath before replying. "Of course; it's fine if you don't, though - I'll just never let you forget about it."

"I wasn't backing down, I was just giving you one last chance to save face - Ariel." He smirked when he said the nickname, deliberately provoking me as he picked up a glass and handed me one. I felt the same electric tingling as I usually did when my fingers brushed his.

"Don't call me that, Johnny Storm."

"Oooh! Bringing out the big guns. Drink up," he said with a smirk.

"Salud!" I raised it before tossing it back, setting the glass upside down on the tray as Chris did the same.

"Cheers!" He said as we took another. This was really a very good tequila – no afterburn and a nice flavor. I listened to the teasing going on around us, finding that I was still enjoying myself.

"You know you don't really have to prove anything, Roşu," Sebastian said as he came up behind me, slinging an arm around my shoulder.

I shook my head at him. "I can't simply back down now, Baz. This is a matter of honor. How do you say 'cheers' in Romanian?"

"Noroc," he replied, grinning at me.

"No rock?" I said, making him laugh at my poor pronunciation.

"Noroc."

"Got it." I picked up another glass, toasting. "Noroc!"

Not to be outdone, Chris took another one right away, saying, "Another!" Sebastian let go of me as he burst into laughter, clapping loudly.

"Good one, punk!"

"Don't you dare break that glass, Evans!" Sadie said, glaring at him when he pretended to throw it down. "It's from _Thor_ , which you haven't seen yet," she said to me as they all laughed, clearly understanding the reference that I didn't get. "We'll watch it eventually."

"Sláinte," Tom offered from beside me. "It's Gaelic, but we hear it a lot back home."

"Sláinte!" I said gamely - most likely murdering the word from the way both Tom's laughed - as we clinked glasses before tossing back another and adding the glass to my collection.

"I know one. They said this one in Germany. Prost!" Chris said, tossing another back.

I picked up the next and gave him a smirk. "I can do this all day!"

"Did you just fucking quote me?" he asked, shaking his head at me and taking his shot as our friends laughed. "I can't believe you quoted me!"

"Why not?" I shrugged. "Seemed fitting. I've only seen up to _Avengers_ , though. I'm a little behind."

"So you haven't even seen my movie yet?" Paul asked, jaw dropping. "Sadie, what's up with that?"

"We're working on it," Sadie assured him. "Takes time, Paul - don't worry, we weren't planning on skipping you or anything. If it makes you feel better she hasn't seen the _Spiderman_ or _Thor_ movies either."

"I actually didn't know who most of you were until this week," I admitted, taking another drink. "Sorry -  I'm not a very good fangirl?"

"I see movie night in the near future," Lizzie said in a sing-song strangely accented voice. "We've got to get you up to speed, girl."

I took another shot to cover my embarrassment. "I love you, Lizzie."

"I know you do."

"May the odds be ever in your favor?" I said with a grin, taking another to scattered laughter.

"Am I going to have to carry you home, Roşu?" Sebastian asked with a laugh.

"I'm not ruling out that option quite yet," I laughed. "Think you can handle that?"

"I don't think I'll have a problem," he said confidently, flexing his arms. I poked at his bicep with one finger to find it was rock hard.

"I think your arm is bigger than my legs, Baz. Maybe even my body," I mused looking down at myself.

"What's next, quoting Harry Potter?" Anthony asked, smirking as he came up next to me.

I clapped my hands excitedly. "Ohh, good idea! I loved Hermione the most: 'It's wingardium _leviOsa_ , not _leviosAH_ '," I said, downing my next one.

"That was a good one," Sadie said. "Guess I should have known. Come on, Evans – you're slacking."

"When did you take two more?" he said, noticing I was ahead.

I set down another glass. "Three now - when you weren't paying attention, obviously! Scarlett – distract him later - after he loses."

"I'm planning on it," she said with quirked lips, handing Chris another shot. "Catch up, cupcake."

"Good woman," I said saluting her.

"How have you not broken character yet?" Thomas asked, coming over to me. "You're remarkably coherent for 10 shots of tequila, Megan."

"Do you concede?" I asked, turning to him and perking up. "That sounded a pretty British to me, Thomas."

"Never," he said with a Loki kind of smirk. "I think you're hearing things, darling."

"I don't know, Tom," Sadie laughed. "I heard quite a bit of your accent there."

"Me too," Emily put in. "That was the first I've heard it since you started this bet."

"Admit it, Thomas. I beat you fair and square," I said, smiling up at him. "Broncos here we come!"

"How about we discuss this further over a nice cup of tea?" he leaned down and murmured in my ear, putting an arm lightly around me.

I snorted. "That's the most British response to anything I've ever heard, darling. I'm so excited!" He laughed as I bounced on my toes, doing a little victory dance.

 

*     *    *

Chris' POV

I watched as Tom Hiddleston put his arm around Megan and murmured in her ear, making her light up with whatever he was saying.

"What's he think he's doing?" I asked Scarlett, pulling her over to me as I took another shot, setting the glass on the tray and putting my arm around her.

"Maybe owning up to the fact that she beat him?"

I gave her a look and raised an eyebrow. "That's not what it looks like from here. I thought she had a boyfriend."

"Not anymore. I overheard her telling Sadie they broke up a little bit ago - I guess he was cheating on her and fessed up while he was stoned."

"Good riddance," I said, taking another. "She's too good for that."

"Christopher Robert Evans, are you _jealous_ of Tom?"

"No," I said, taking a shot and hoping she wouldn't call me on the lie.

She crossed her arms and forced me to meet her eyes, one hand on my arm before leaning close to murmur in my ear. "You know, if you haven't already established stakes for this bet you could work this to your advantage."

"The thought has crossed my mind. She won't go for just a date, though."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," she said, going to go talk to Robert. "You always do."

*    *

"I think you're behind now," I said to Megan, giving her an innocent look when she pretended to glare at me when she saw that I was one up on her. She took it, setting the glass down and meeting my gaze, not even looking like she was affected by the amount of alcohol we'd consumed in the past half hour or so.

"If you guys want to keep doing this, let's go back to the condo," Sadie said. "Everyone's starting to take off for the night anyways."

"Yeah, punk - I'm not carrying your fat ass home," Sebastian said, slinging an arm heavily around my shoulder. "You weigh more than I do."

"I weigh like maybe 8 pounds more than you, jerk. Sounds good to me," I said, nodding. "Finish it off, team. We paid for the whole bottle."

Robert laughed and showed me how little was left. "Chris, you and that little fireball there just drank almost a whole bottle on your own."

"So we did," she said, pulling her phone out. "Ladies, our limo will be here in 10 minutes."

* *

Megan dozed off during the half hour ride, waking up just before we got back to my place, looking adorable as she stretched and looked around. I helped Sadie and Lizzie out and gave Sadie my keys to open the doors while I waited for Megan. She talked to the driver for a moment through the partition window and then did a quick double check, making sure everyone had everything. When she finally got out, Lizzie's clutch in hand, she was surprised to see me there.

"Get everything?" I asked, holding out a hand for her to take to steady herself as she stepped out of the limo into the cool night air.

"I think so. They have my number if someone else left something behind. You didn't have to wait for me, Chris," she said, looking up at me seriously.

I held the front door open for her. "New York streets at 4 something in the morning is no place for a pretty girl to be alone, doll."

"If it makes you feel better, then okay – but I've walked home lots of times after leaving the clubs," she said with a shrug, completely brushing off the compliment I'd just given her like she hadn't heard it.

I groaned hearing that. She was lucky nothing had happened to her before now if that was the case. I didn't even walk alone at this time of night. "Not what I want to hear, Megan. Your boyfriend let you walk home alone? You don't live in the greatest part of town, doll." I caught her hand, stopping her so she had to look up at me, her bright eyes searching mine.

"I'm not going to answer that now," she said, pulling her hand back. "And I'm not your doll - that's Sadie."

"Too late – you already did," I grumbled. "What a jerk!" I opened the door and held it, closing my eyes as she brushed past me on her way in. I closed it behind us and waited for her take her shoes off, catching her before she fell when she wobbled, her toe catching on a rug.

"Thanks. I don't think your place likes me," she said as I let go of her reluctantly. "Or at least your rugs don't."

"You still up for finishing this?"

"Yup. I plan on being 2 for 2 tonight," she said, giving me a grin over her shoulder as she headed for the kitchen. "Can't have it ending in a tie! Where do you keep the tequila?"

"Far left cupboard," I said, grabbing a couple of shot glasses. "I still say there's no way you can drink more than I can. What do I get if I win?"

She frowned thoughtfully. "I dunno. We never decided that; what do I get if I win?"

"I think we should have the same terms as you and Hiddles did," I said, hoping she'd agree.

"How about something similar-ish?" Sadie said as she came in to grab a bottle of water and handed one to Tom Holland as well.

"Well, I know you don't mind watching sports, so how about when I win, you have to spend a whole day in Boston with me and go to a Celtic's home game."

She thought about that as I poured us a couple shots. "Well, I've never been to Boston before. I'm just glad it's not baseball because that's like watching paint dry – basketball I can handle. Okay, how about when I win, you take me skydiving. I've always wanted to do that and I heard you've done it before."

I smiled, thinking that either way I was coming out ahead. "I've done it a couple times - it's such a rush. You surprise me – I can't even get Seb to agree to do that with me."

"With good reason. No sense jumping out of perfectly good planes," Sebastian said as he came into the kitchen. "Let's do this!"

"Who are you betting on?" Megan asked him with a grin. "Me?"

Sebastian slung his arm around my neck and gave me a wink before turning to her. "Well Roşu, I have to put my money on my boy here. Bros before -"

"Sebastian, if you finish that sentence the way I _think_ you were going to you'll be sleeping on the floor tonight. I'm putting _my_ money on my girl here," Sadie said, coming up beside Megan.

"Yeah, chicks before dicks!" Lizzie said with a laugh, sticking her tongue out at Sebastian as Sadie sighed and covered her face with her hand in exasperation.

*          *      

"I'm honestly concerned you're both going to get alcohol poisoning," Sadie said, shaking her head as Megan finally swayed putting her glass down. I'd lost count of how many we'd had by this point but the girl was definitely holding her own better than I thought she could.

"Just a couple more," Megan begged, her words starting to slur. "I'm not giving up and I'm still standing," she said, looking over at me. I'd widened my stance before we'd started drinking because I was past buzzing and well on my way to drunk.

"Not for long, Roşu," Sebastian said, steadying her. "If I let go, I think you'd fall. Chris wins this time – I still can't believe you can drink that much and not be passed out already."

"Tequila doesn't affect me as fast as vodka does. No way could I take this many shots of vodka and still be standing."

"We'll keep that in mind for next time," Lizzie said with what could only be described as an evil grin. She was very amused by drunk Megan who said exactly what was on her mind.

"We could watch a movie instead - one of the ones you haven't seen yet, maybe." Sadie said as I took another shot, trying to keep the grin off my face. 

"I think you've had enough for the night too, punk," Sebastian said as soon as I finished  it and set the glass down. "Remember what happened the last time we drank this much?"

"Nope." I didn't right now, but it must have been something we shouldn't repeat. "Should I?" He only laughed in response, making me smile.

"What's it going to be, Megan?" Tom asked. "You still in or are you done?"

"I'm done," she groaned, giving in. "If I take any more I'm going to pass out."

I pumped a fist in the air in victory. "Yes! I win!" Sebastian high-fived me and Tom clapped me on the back, one arm around Megan to keep her upright.

"I'm going to go shower before I pass out," Megan said, her words slurring more. "Can't sleep in makeup - is bad for you."

"I'll come help you get out of your dress. I don't want you to fall or anything," Sadie said, putting an arm around the younger woman to get her going the right direction. "Guys, why don't you get showered too before we watch a movie? I'm not ready to go to sleep yet."

"Are you saying we don't smell good?" I said, giving her a mock offended look.

"Yes I am," Sadie grinned, waving one hand in front of her nose suggestively. "Not quite as bad as earlier today but you're still pretty ripe."

"Sounds like a plan," Sebastian said, putting one arm around Tom's neck.

"Tom, why don't you go first while we find something for you to sleep in," I said as we made our way out of the kitchen.

"I'm going to throw my clothes in the wash so I have something to wear tomorrow that doesn't reek of booze," Sebastian said. "Tom, Lizzie - do you want to put yours in too?"

"Can't," Lizzie said. "Dry clean only. Sadie said I could borrow some of her clothes so I don't have to do the walk of shame tomorrow."

"It's only a walk of shame when you stay over at some random guy's place _and_ get laid," Seb laughed. "If you don't get laid it doesn't count."

"Thanks for clearing that up, Baz," Lizzie said, shaking her head at us. "Why do I hang out with you guys again?"

"We're entertaining?" I offered, getting a giggle from her. 

*      *

"I look like a drowned rat," Tom said, looking at himself in the mirror. "I can't believe you're _that_ much larger than I am, Chris."

"I'd say you'll grow into it, but I don't think that's going to happen," I laughed, stripping down to my boxer briefs before going into the bathroom to get in the shower. I'd worked up a good sweat on the dance floor tonight and I'd had several drinks splashed on me as well, so I currently didn't smell the greatest. I'd never been more thankful for my high metabolism than right now. As long as I stayed upright and moving, I'd be fine when I woke up.

"Don't look at me – Chris and I wear the about the same sizes," Sebastian said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "That was the smallest shirt I could find unless you want to wear Sadie's clothes."

Tom quickly replied, "Nah, this is good. Thanks again, man. I guess I didn't plan ahead tonight."

"No problem. There's extra toothbrushes in that closet if you want to brush your teeth," I said, pointing at it before slipping off my underwear and tossing them in the hamper to get into the shower. I turned the water to almost scalding hot - just where I liked it.

"Can I?" Tom asked. "I hate morning fuzzy tongue."

"Go right ahead," I said with a grin. "Sadie keeps them here for when the boys stay here. They tend to forget to pack things like that if Sadie doesn't check their bags first."

"Man, if I didn't know better, I'd think Sadie was your wife or something," Tom said after a minute.

"Why's that?"

"Either you're more OCD than I thought you were or she arranged your closets."

"Both probably," I said, working the shampoo into my hair. "But you do know better; Sadie doesn't like me as anything other than a friend."

"Megan's really confused about your guys' relationship," Tom said, and I heard him unwrapping a toothbrush.

"She said that?" Seb asked. "When?"

"Yup – in the limo before she fell asleep. Drunk Megan doesn't have much of a filter, so she asked which one of you Sadie's dating because after almost a week, she still doesn't know for sure. I mean you both call Sadie 'Doll' and treat her like she's your girl, so I get why she'd be confused; sometimes _I'm_ confused."

I thought about that for a minute. That would explain why Megan wouldn't let me make a move on her if she thought I was her boss' boyfriend. "So what did you tell her?"

"That it was complicated. I didn't know how to even begin explaining things and I didn't want to get it wrong."

I cursed to myself. Granted, Tom knew - he'd been Sadie's friend since the beginning, but I'm sure it was confusing as hell to Megan, the way Seb and I both acted towards her. Plus, Megan already knew Sadie slept in my bed – she just didn't know why or that it wasn't for sex. If I wasn't so frustrated right now, it would be hilarious that I cockblocked _myself_ like this.

By the time I walked out into the living room pulling my shirt on, Seb was just getting in the shower. I noticed Lizzie was wearing shorts and a tank top like Sadie usually slept in, but Megan had on a long sleeved shirt and some athletic shorts even though it was comfortably warm in the whole apartment. Sadie got cold easily so I always made it a little warmer for her when she stayed here.

"What're we watching?" I asked, amused to see that they had a bunch of the Marvel movies laid out on the floor in watching order and I assumed they'd put something in.

" _Winter Soldier_ ," Tom said from the kitchen. "Megan hasn't seen it yet. I just put in the popcorn because I'm starving."

"I can order pizza if you guys are that hungry," I said, finding my phone in the kitchen where I'd left it. "They're open 24 hours and deliver."

"Do it!" Lizzie said. "I can't live off popcorn alone."

"Seb, you want pizza?" I asked, poking my head into the bathroom. "We're pretty hungry and it's almost breakfast time already."

"Yeah – get a supreme one if you're gonna order from the usual place," he said from the shower. "I'm starving - all that dancing really made me work up an appetite."

"Okay. What did you think about what Tom said earlier?"

"I'm not surprised, really. If Red sees you as her boss' guy, she ain't gonna make a move on you - you wouldn't be interested in her if she was that kind of girl anyway. I'm just gonna come out and say it - I'm a little concerned that she's so much younger than you, punk."

"I know - that's a pretty big age gap - and she just got out of a relationship," I groaned. "What if she's not ready to give me a chance?"

"She has to see you as an option first, which won't happen until you or Sadie explain things to her. You're still off limits." 

"True. Did Sadie tell you we talked about her weight loss?" I said, leaning against the sink to talk to him and tapping at my phone to order the pizza.

"No, but thank you for talking to her about it. I couldn't believe she lost so much weight that fast. I hate feeling her bones when I hug her."

"She didn't have 20 pounds to spare to begin with," I agreed.

"20 pounds? How the hell'd she lose that much?"

"I don't know. I knew she'd lost weight but I didn't know it was _that_ much weight until then. She agreed to let me take her to my therapist."

"It's a start at least," he said. "I'm just glad she could talk to you about it. I don't think it would have come across the same way if I'd tried to talk to her about it. _You're_ her best friend, not me."

"Not completely true, but it probably wouldn't have been the same coming from you - she might have taken it as criticism."

"Change of subject - what are we going to do about Megan?"

"I don't want her staying with him if that's what he does to her. Tom said he tried to get her to talk but she wouldn't - at least not to him," I said. "He said she admitted the dickhead had hurt her, but that's all."

"Sadie's gonna have to try," Seb said after a moment. "Megan doesn't know us that well yet - not enough to open up - but Sadie, you know how she always gets people talking."

"It's just something about her," I said. "I wonder where we'd be now if we'd never met her - don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change a thing, but it's crazy that sometimes I can't even really remember what things were like before Sadie."

"Me either," he agreed. "Things are better now, punk. I know it doesn't seem like it sometimes, but they are."

"I'm gonna go see what everyone's up to," I said, pushing off the vanity.

"I'll be out in a few," Seb promised.

*          *

"I really like the blue suit on you," Megan said, looking over at me with a smile.

"The stealth suit?" I grinned; it was actually one of my favorite suits considering how many versions of the Cap suit I'd worn so far.

"Is that what it's called? Yeah, it looks nice on you – although they didn't need to give you fake muscles. You've got enough of your own."

Sadie laughed. "Don't compliment him Megan, he's got a big enough head when it come to those muscles. Trust me, I know."

"So who has better abs, Megan?" I asked suddenly, wondering if she'd answer. She wasn't slurring her words as much anymore, so I knew she was starting to sober up already.

"Y -" she started to say before clapping a hand to her mouth. "Wait, I shouldn't answer that! It's a trick!" Lizzie and Tom started laughing and Megan leaned forward to get more pizza to distract herself.

"She was going to say me, Seb," I said, punching his shoulder. "Ha! I knew it."

"But she didn't finish, so it doesn't count," he argued. "Doll, who has better abs?"

"Still not drunk enough to answer that, babe," Sadie said, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin. "Nice try though."

*  *

"It's _always_ personal when they say it isn't personal," Megan muttered. "And that's a lot of guys in a really small space."

"Six days it took to film this scene," I remembered, groaning. "Frank and I weren't pulling punches, either. I was black and blue all over after that scene."

She looked at me with wide eyes. "Who's Frank?"

"Seb or Tom, whoever's got the remote, back it up so I can point out Frank Grillo."

"So you didn't even use your body doubles in this scene?" Tom asked, taking it back a little bit and pausing on Frank talking to Steve. "That's crazy, mate."

"That's acting," I replied with a shrug. "It's too small of a space. You see our faces almost the whole time, so we couldn't. That's Frank - he plays Brock Rumlow."

"Wow - what an ass! He's been on Cap's team the whole time and now he switches sides or something? What's up with that?"

"You'll see later on in the movie," Seb told her. "Just watch now."

Megan finished her pizza and set her plate aside before turning to me in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? Did you seriously jump out of that elevator? How far was that – 20 stories? You have a problem, Mr Adrenaline Junkie."

I shrugged. "How else was Steve going to get away from them? He knew he could make it since he had his shield."

"Holy shit - do not mess with Cap!" Tom said. " You just took out _a jet_ with only your shield."

"Yep," I said smugly. "I thought you'd seen this one before?"

"I forgot about that part," Tom said. "That was almost as awesome as when you stopped a helicopter by yourself!"

*        *

I heard Megan's sharp exhale when Steve roughly maneuvered Natasha into the hospital room and shoved her against the wall. I couldn't pretend not to notice when she instantly and not so subtly put a little distance between us. Steve's unexpected display of temper hit a little too close to home for comfort and I really hoped that she wouldn't be afraid of me as well.

"That was actually Scarlett's idea, Roşu," Sebastian said, leaning closer to Megan. He'd been watching for her reaction as well, knowing what this was supposed to look like. "She said otherwise there was no way people would believe Steve would trust Natasha if she just handed the thumb drive over - and Steve wouldn't know how to use it."

Megan nodded and didn't take her eyes off the screen, but I watched her rubbing her hands slowly over her arms where those marks were, and I knew those dark marks would be distinctly visible against her alabaster skin if she didn't have long sleeves on again.

"Megan, are you afraid of me right now?" I asked, almost holding my breath. "Or are you afraid of Steve?"

"A little bit of both," she said quietly, visibly agitated. She abruptly hopped up, heading for the kitchen.

"Do you want me to go?" Sadie asked and I shook my head as I stood up, following Megan into the kitchen.

"Will you talk to me, Megan?" I asked as I came up behind her, taking two steps so I was directly in front of her. "Why are you afraid of me?" I put one finger under her chin, lifting her face so she'd look at me.

"I don't want to be," she said, taking a shaky breath. "But I still am."

"If you're afraid because you think I'll hurt you - I won't. I don't do that - and not just because my Ma would beat my ass if I ever treated a girl like Andy treats you." I cupped her face, using my thumb to catch the lone tear that escaped, trickling down her face. "I'm not him."

"I know you're not," she said, her voice catching. "I broke up with him tonight."

"Good. He doesn't deserve you," I said gruffly, pulling her in for a hug and feeling her melt into me. It was the best feeling, the way she fit against me so well, her head on my chest.

"Maybe," she replied, sounding a bit muffled, so I loosened my arms a little without letting go of her. "But that just means tomorrow I have to find somewhere to live."

"For the whole 3 more days you're going to be here in New York? Why don't you just stay with me and Sadie?"

"I couldn't, Chris," she said, trying to push away from me. I abruptly picked her up and set her on the counter to keep her from running away again, standing in front of her with my hands on the counter next to her legs.

"Why not?" I asked, searching her face. "It makes sense. Sadie's not usually in New York for very long while the boys are in school - two weeks tops here and there. She's not even here once a month."

"If it's even that long," Sadie said, coming into the kitchen with Sebastian beside her. "He's right, Megan. It doesn't make sense to rent a place to store whatever you don't need right now. We won't be back here for at least another month, maybe longer."

"You can use my guest room, Roşu - I don't mind if you stay with me, " Sebastian said, putting his arms around Sadie and giving Megan a serious look. "Whatever it takes to get you away from him right now. It's not safe for you to be around that dickhead, so the sooner the better."

 

*           *           *

Megan's POV

I was feeling an awful mixture of betrayal, fear and anger - I just didn't know what to think about what they were saying. They'd clearly been talking about me and had come to a mutual decision from the way they acted, supporting each other. I looked past Baz to see Lizzie and Tom leaning on the doorjamb, nodding - and I knew they were in on it too.

"Can I talk to Sadie and Lizzie alone for a minute?" I asked quietly, my face heating under their scrutiny.

"Sure," Sebastian said, letting go of Sadie to go back to the living room and pulling Tom with by one arm. Chris nodded and backed away, going into the hallway.

"We talked about this earlier," Lizzie said, confirming my suspicions. "You didn't think we saw those marks?" She touched my arm gently, taking my hand in hers and linking fingers with me.

"I'm just accident prone," I tried to say only to see them both shake their heads at me.

"Don't," Sadie ordered. "Don't put this on yourself - Andy did this to you, Megan. We know better, honey. This isn't like when you tripped on Sebastian's steps and Chris caught you."

"You're right," I said, wiping away the tears that had leaked out against my will. "I just don't know what to say. He was so _angry_ with me."

"For breaking a bottle of cologne that wasn't even his," Sadie pointed out. "That's unreasonable, honey - he has _no right_ to hurt you for anything. Right?"

"Right," I sniffed, letting them think that was why he'd done it, not just because he'd been drunk and high.

"Megan, will you show Liz your back? I think she needs to see it."

"I know it's not good Meg, but can I see?" Lizzie asked, her face serious. I slowly slid off the counter and turned around, pulling the hem of my shirt up. I heard a gasp when it was high enough to expose the bruises on my ribs and back and I felt the heat of shame on my cheeks.

"I'd say you could stay with me, but I stay in a hotel room when I'm here," Lizzie said quietly when I turned back around, zero condemnation on her beautiful face. "Promise me you won't go alone to go get your stuff _even if_ you don't think he's going to be there."

I opened my mouth to object but Sadie agreed with Lizzie, nodding. "If he was pissed when he thought you were cheating, he's going to be even worse now that you broke up with him. The sooner you get away from him, the better - and _I'd_ feel a lot better if one of the guys went with you."

"I will take someone with me to get my stuff," I said dutifully, seeing where they were coming from. They were legit concerned, and as my boss and my friend, they had a right to be. "I don't know what I'm going to do with it after that, but I will take someone with me."

"Both of them were serious about their offers," Sadie said, meeting my eyes, "and if you're worried about what I'm going to think, don't be."

"But - but they're your guys, Sadie," I tried to protest. "I can't stay with them long term."

"Ohhh - yes you can," she laughed, looking over at Lizzie. "I suppose I never did explain, did I?"

"Can you explain it to me, too because I still don't get your guys' relationship half the time either," Lizzie said, hopping on the counter to take a seat. "And I've known you since almost the start."

"Well, let's backtrack; you know how I got these scars," she said, pointing to her shoulder and the star shaped mark there. I nodded, she'd told me the story about the shooting. "And you know that in a roundabout way, saving Chris, Tom and Sebastian got me a part in my first movie with the rest of the Avengers."

"Did it hurt?" I asked stupidly before clamping my jaw shut.

"Not as bad as I thought it would, but yeah, it hurt a lot once the adrenaline wore off. From the start, even before that incident, Chris, Sebastian and I had become really good friends – we just clicked – I don't know how else to say it."

"You seem really close to them, even Tom."

Sadie smiled fondly. "Tom is one of my son's best friends now. He's only a few years older than Liam, who really looks up to him."

"You said before you had some anxiety issues you were dealing with - because of the shooting?"

"Yes," she said quietly. "I've been dealing with PTSD since the incident; mostly in the form of horrible recurring nightmares. I could have lost my son _and_ my friends that night."

"Is that why you stay here with Chris?" Lizzie asked. "He says that he wouldn't be here without you."

Sadie nodded. "I sleep better when I'm not alone, and while Chris is my best friend and he's really been helping me with a lot of stuff, I don't like him as anything more than a friend."

"And Baz?" I asked. "He's more than a friend to you - I see the way he looks at you - like you're the only woman in the world."

"Sebastian's a little more complicated," Sadie agreed. "We started out as friends and I play his love interest in the Marvel movies," she said, holding up one hand as she struggled for words. "But..."

"Then her husband passed away in July," Lizzie said, turning to me when it was clear that Sadie was having a hard time continuing. "And things got a little crazy for a while. By then, Sadie'd already committed to this film and one or two others, thinking her husband would be home to keep an eye on Liam and Isaac..."

"Two others," Sadie said, her voice rough. "Which is where you come in – you know how nuts my schedule is. Last week, when I was talking to the boys, they told me I needed to go out with my friends more. And umm..." she sniffed, tearing up. I put my arms around her, giving her a hug. This woman had been nothing but nice to me from the first time I'd met her, and my heart hurt knowing there was nothing more I could do to really help her.

"I'm sorry – I still get a little choked up about it," Sadie said shakily. "Sebastian... well, Sebastian asked my teenage sons if he could take me on a date... and they said it was okay."

"He did? How thoughtful of him! Before or after dinner at Robert's?" Lizzie asked, hugging us both. That apparently meant something because Sadie flushed.

"After."

"Oh Sadie, I'm so glad!" Lizzie let go so we could talk and looked shrewdly at Sadie. "Tonight was the first time you've looked like you were having fun with us in a long time. I'm going to cry now," she sniffed, hugging Sadie again. "He's been so worried you wouldn't want anything to do with him anymore since you wouldn't stay with him once Chris got back in town."

"That's not why I don't stay with him," Sadie said after a moment, meeting my eyes over Lizzie. "I can't go back to how things used to be when we were just friends and I'm not ready for more just yet."

I nodded, understanding what Sadie meant because I was now in the same boat, to an extent. I knew right then that she would understand if I told her I wasn't comfortable staying with Chris just quite yet. I was attracted to him more than I'd ever thought possible - I'd never been this attracted to a man before and it terrified me.

"I think," I said slowly, "I'd be better staying with Baz. I _definitely_ don't like him like that."

She smiled. "I know you don't, honey. It's pretty obvious he sees you like a little sister or something."

"And it's just as obvious someone else is really into you," Lizzie put in, grinning and elbowing me.

"I'd say a couple someones after tonight, Liz," Sadie laughed in agreement as I flushed again. "Are you ready to come finish the movie, Megan?"

"Yeah. I think I am," I said, hugging them both again. "Thank you, girls. I needed this tonight."

"Yes you did," Lizzie said with a grin. "Come on, you two. We've been in here for long enough they're going to start worrying."

"Did you get things figured out?" Tom asked when we came back in the living room, hopping to his feet.

"We did," Sadie said, pulling Tom into a hug. I heard her murmuring something quietly to him before letting go of him and finger-combing his unruly hair in what I thought was a very mom-like way. Tom talked quietly and quickly to her while she did that, basking in her undivided attention.

"Baz?" I asked tentatively as I came up next to him and sat down in my previous spot. "Is it all right if I stay at your place for a while? Just until I get things figured out?"

"Of course, Roşu," he said, meeting my eyes and giving me a smile. "We can go get your stuff tomorrow...I mean later today."

"We?" I asked, confused.

"You think we're letting you go there alone?" he snorted. "No way in hell! I have no desire to visit you in the hospital any time soon, kid. I know this guy's type and I'd bet good money the marks on your arms aren't the only ones on you."

I didn't know what to say to that observation, but he was at least 10 years older than me and gave the impression he'd been around the block a time or two. I broke eye contact first, certain he read more in my expression than I intended for him to see.

"If he's done it before, he'll do it again," Chris agreed as he sat down next to me, giving me a look I couldn't decipher. "Are you ready to finish the movie?"

I nodded and turned my attention to the TV, ready to be done with this conversation. My life had been completely upended in a couple hour's time and I didn't want to even try and figure out what would happen next right now.

 

*         *          *

Chris' POV

I didn't know what to think when Megan asked to talk to Sadie and Lizzie other than I was relieved she was finally going to talk to someone. I wanted to beat the shit out of her dickhead ex but showing that amount of anger in front of Megan wasn't going to help my case in the long run - it was bad enough she felt threatened by Steve Rogers, I didn't need to make it worse.

"Did you see her expression?" I asked Seb when I came back into the living room.

"Hard to miss," he said, taking a drink. "She knew we'd talked about her; she isn't dumb."

"I think I'm going to be sick," Tom said, looking a little pale as he slid off the couch. "I shouldn't have looked. Who does that to a girl - someone you say you love? That's just not right."

"I don't know," I said, even more agitated now. "I've never understood that - and I don't want to."

"No, it isn't right. That bad?" Sebastian asked.

Tom swallowed convulsively and nodded. "It looks really bad. You remember how I looked when my wire failed and I fell five or six feet and knocked the wind out of myself?" We nodded - he'd been lucky he hadn't been hurt worse. He'd been black and blue for two weeks and we knew the kid wasn't a wuss - he'd been in serious pain for a while. "She looks worse."

Sebastian put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. "Chris, you need to calm the fuck down. She's already scared of Steve - America's goddamn boy scout - for fucks sake she doesn't need to have a reason to be scared of you, too. Go take one of your pills and get yourself together."

I knew then that Seb was just as pissed as I was - the angrier he got the more he tended to curse. I nodded, jumping to my feet and quickly walking to my bedroom to get one of my anxiety pills. I didn't _like_ having to take them, but he was right - I was too on edge right now.

"Did you get things figured out?" Tom asked when they came back in the living room, hopping to his feet and going directly to Sadie. He was still pale and jittery; shaken from what he'd seen earlier. I leaned on the doorway while I took in the girls' moods. Lizzie was more relieved than anything, flashing me a smile.

"We did," Sadie said, pulling Tom into a hug and murmuring something quietly to him while running her fingers through his unruly curls. Tom talked quickly to her in a low voice while she did that, visibly calming while she gave him her undivided attention, treating him like one of her own sons.

"Baz?" Megan asked tentatively as she sat down in her previous spot, twisting her hands in her lap. "Is it all right if I stay at your place for a while? Just until I get things figured out?"

My chest ached knowing she was choosing him over me, but my brain understood why even if my heart didn't. She didn't see Sebastian as anything other than a friend - their random goofiness together tonight proved that.

"Of course, Roşu," he said, giving her a smile. "We can go get your stuff tomorrow...I mean later today."

"We?" she asked, confused, scrunching her nose adorably.

"You think we're letting you go there alone?" he snorted, shaking his head. "No way in hell! I have no desire to visit you in the hospital any time soon, kid. I know this guy's type and I'd bet good money the marks on your arms aren't the only ones on you."

"If he's done it before, he'll do it again," I agreed as I sat down next to her, giving her a look. If Seb hadn't said anything, I sure as hell would have - she'd been through enough already. "Are you ready to finish the movie?"

*       *

"Wait - Baz, you're the asset?" Megan said, looking at him in surprise.

"Who else? I have a great ass."

Lizzie snorted. "You do, but I don't think that's what they meant. Was that Rachel from _Friends_   that Pierce just killed?"

"No, it's not - but I thought that too," Sadie said. "I even looked it up to be sure." I looked over at her in amusement - it was cute that she fangirled over other celebrities still. She rolled her eyes at me, knowing what I was going to say. "What? I love Jennifer Aniston - and she will always be Rachel no matter _what_ she's in."

"I don't even know what to say - Baz - I think I'm a little scared of you and you're not even doing anything," Megan said, giving him a look.

Sebastian said something in Romanian and she just looked at him wide-eyed, moving closer to me. _You're welcome, punk_ , he mouthed to me with a wink as soon as she looked away and I could only grin at him in return.  
  
*       *

I could tell Megan was really uncomfortable with the wipe scene, closing her eyes and covering her ears when the machine came down around Sebastian's head.  I put my arm around her, making her jump for a second before she moved closer to me, letting me comfort her - and me. I didn't like seeing her upset, and it felt like a weight was lifted of my chest when I realized she'd moved past her earlier fear of me.

"You can look now. It's over," I said quietly, brushing her bright hair back out of her face.

"That was horrible," Megan said with a shudder. "I don't understand why people say Bucky's a villain when he's so clearly the victim. And what was that 'one last time' pep talk for? They didn't expect him to survive the original fight, did they?"

"Yeah, that's the argument," Sebastian said. "Steve was supposed to kill him that first time - or he'd kill Steve. Win-win."

"That's even worse!" she said, aghast. "Hydra is like that Kool-Aid cult or something."

I snorted, trying not to laugh when I could tell she was being serious - I just hadn't expected that comparison. "Kool-Aid cult - that was before our time."

* *

"You stole your old 1940's suit back from the Smithsonian?" Megan asked in disbelief.

"I didn't steal it; I borrowed it - it was already mine. Besides, there was a tracker in the stealth suit so I had to ditch it."

"Is it even bulletproof? It doesn't _look_ very bulletproof."

"Ummm, kind of," I hedged, not wanting to spoil everything for her.

"In 1945, maybe," Sadie put in, rolling her eyes at me.

"Steve has a death wish, doesn't he?" Megan asked.

"Not anymore, now that he knows Bucky is alive," I said. "He's thinking that uniform will help Bucky maybe start to remember him."

"Why would he care about the uniform? It's the person wearing it that the old Bucky knew, not the public Captain America persona."

I didn't have an answer for her; I watched her watching the movie, her expressive face riveting to me. 

* *

"No," was all Megan said when she saw Bucky standing between Cap and the control board he had to replace a chip in. She covered her eyes when they started to fight. "I can't watch this. I know you're just acting, but I don't think I can do this yet."

"It's okay, Megan," I said, pulling her into my lap and letting her tuck her face into my neck, making herself as small as possible, which for the record was pretty damn small. "It's not real and because of the wipe, Bucky doesn't remember Steve again."

Sadie hopped over Sebastian, getting closer to Megan. "Not helping, Chris," she whispered, her expression understanding as she patted Megan's knee.

"Tell me when it's over," Megan whimpered, covering her ear.

"Okay," I said, looking over at Sebastian, who only shrugged, turning the volume down.

*      *

I gently pulled Megan's hand away from her ear when we got to the dialogue point. "You need to see this part to understand what happens next," I told her. "They're pretty much done fighting, okay?"

She lifted her head so she could watch, leaving her hand in mine as she watched in horrified fascination. "So Bucky's kind of remembering?"

"Yeah," I said quietly, just breathing in her light clean scent, enjoying the feel of her in my arms and the trust she had chosen to give me to take care of her. "Not a lot yet, but enough."

"Do you think Steve would have died otherwise?"

"No, but he's in pretty bad shape. He's had a rough day."

From my side, I heard Sadie make a little noise when she saw Steve in the hospital and buried her face in my arm. I pulled her over so she was tucked under my arm, her hands wrapped around my forearm. Megan reached over and covered one of Sadie's hands with her own, stroking them lightly.

"You okay, doll?" I asked.

"Didn't want to see that. Too realistic, Chris," Sadie explained after a moment, a pained expression on her face. "Way too real - I forgot about that part. There's a reason I haven't watched this movie in a while."

I understood all too well after seeing Sadie shot right before my eyes, taking bullets that were meant for me. That sight had featured in my nightmares more often than I'd like to admit, and I knew she'd say the same thing about me. One of her greatest fears was that something would happen and she'd lose one of her boys, which was not only her sons but extended to me and Sebastian as well.

*          *

"Bucky's reading about himself in a museum. Wasn't expecting that," Megan said thoughtfully. "Baz, you look like one of the homeless guys I see on my street sometimes." She tiredly leaned her head back on my chest.

"I am homeless, Roşu," Sebastian said, shaking his head slightly. "I'm an amnesiac POW who's really like 95 and looks late 20's when he's cleaned up." He yawned and stretched. "Well, I'm ready for bed now. How about you guys?"

"Do I have to move?" Lizzie said, leaning over on me. "You're so nice and warm."

"Yes, he is," Sadie agreed, patting my arm so I would let go of her. "I'm heading to bed."

"All right," I said, yawning and letting go of Sadie so she could stand up. "I need to get some sleep - I think I've been up for a solid 24 hours now."

"Don't remind me," Sebastian groaned as Sadie pulled him off the couch and pretended to flop into her arms. "Carry me, doll."

"Sebastian, I can't carry you. I might be able to drag your ass down the hallway, though. Shall we try it out?"

I laughed when Sadie abruptly moved so Sebastian would fall, but his reflexes were pretty good still and he caught himself, scooping her up in his arms instead and carrying her protesting out of the room. She still didn't like to be carried, but for as much as we'd done it for scenes lately she was starting to get used to it. Lizzie and Tom were cracking up but Megan wasn't saying anything. I looked down and she was fast asleep.

"When did that happen?" I asked Lizzie, intending to scooting off the couch so I could stand up while holding her.

"Don't touch her back, Chris," Lizzie said suddenly, stopping me when she realized what I was going to do. "Just trust me on this, okay? You don't want to do that."

"I'll just try to wake her up instead," I said, nodding. I didn't think I'd be able to carry her otherwise, not the way she was currently positioned. "Why don't you and Tom head to bed and I'm sure she'll be along shortly. This might take a bit and I don't want to scare her or anything."

 

 

 

 


	8. Moving Day

Chris' POV

"Sweetheart, you're gonna have to wake up," I said to the sleeping redhead peacefully snuggled into my arms once I was alone with her. I tried to annoy her enough that she'd wake up by moving her arm and leg, but that didn't work. I only succeeded in giving myself the worst hard on I'd ever had from the feel of her soft body shifting on mine.

I stroked her face lightly, thinking the repetitive motion would wake her. Instead, she snuggled in closer, resting her head on my shoulder and bringing one arm up to put it around my neck. I tugged her arm down, brushing my scruffy cheek against her hand. Her fingers twitched and she caressed my rough face as she shifted her head, her lips brushing my neck with small open mouthed kisses as she worked her way up my jaw. I exhaled loudly in surprise, making her chuckle tiredly.

"Andy, you need to shave," she sighed, shifting so she was better able to reach me and I knew then that she wasn't really awake yet. With a flash of annoyance at being called _his_ name, I captured her lips with mine, kissing her with all the need and pent up frustration I was feeling.

I tangled one hand in her silky soft hair, pulling her closer. She responded instantly, her eyes closed and her hand cupping my face lightly, opening her mouth for me so I could tease her tongue with my own. I couldn't get enough of her soft lips - she tasted incredible. I'd thought of doing this since the moment I'd met her but the reality was even better than I'd anticipated.

My other hand traced the curve of her leg, finding a ticklish spot just behind her knee. That had her green eyes snapping abruptly open and pulling away from me, suddenly certain I wasn't who she'd thought I was. "You're not Andy," she said, flushing. I held her in place, not letting her pull away just yet.

"Thank god. What gave that away, princess?" I asked, bringing one hand up to stroke her face lightly. "Tickling you?"

Her cheeks got even pinker, making me smile. She nodded slightly and I kissed her again, feeling her bring one hand up to the nape of my neck, the other resting on my chest. Her lips parted eagerly under mine with a small noise of pleasure that made me want to hear her saying my name.

I'd never wanted a woman so badly before that just kissing her brought me so close to the edge. I kissed down her jaw to her neck, hearing her ragged breathing when I licked the hollow at the base of her throat. Her fingers speared into my hair, tugging my face back up to hers and she rested her forehead on mine.

"Chris," she rasped, her eyes dark with desire. I cupped her beautiful face with my hand and I could feel her rapid pulse. "This is-"

I silenced her with a kiss. "This is amazing," I said, before kissing her gently. " _You_ are amazing."

"We shouldn't be doing this," she said, pulling away from me abruptly, her lips kiss swollen and her cheeks pink.

"Why not?" I asked, kissing her neck; I didn't see any reason not to kiss her.

"I can't think straight right now," she said, pushing herself away from me and standing up unsteadily. I quickly stood as well, unwilling to let her go just yet. I gently pulled her to me, just holding her for a moment.

She went up on tiptoe and threw her arms around my neck in a tight hug, making me smile when she relaxed into me again. I turned my face just enough to kiss her cheek and continue down her neck, her shuddering breath letting me know she wasn't unaffected by my actions.

"Goodnight, Chris,"  she whispered, letting go and sliding her hands down my firm torso in a way that let me know she appreciated my muscle definition. I tipped her face up to mine and kissed her once more, softly and sweetly before smiling at her.

"Goodnight, Megan. See you in the morning."

I watched her go, forcing myself to let her leave. I waited until I was sure she was in her room before going to my bed. If I was really lucky, Sadie and Sebastian would already be asleep and I could just pass out in peace.

"I was wondering if you were coming to bed," Sadie said sleepily when I got under the covers.

"Why wouldn't I?" I asked, rolling to face her. "Seb sleeping already?"

"Mmmhmm. Out like a light - he was exhausted. You really do like her, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," I said, pulling her closer and kissing her forehead. She stroked my face lightly, her thumb brushing my jawline. "You really like Seb, don't you?" I asked her with a fond smile.

"Yeah, I do," she admitted, repeating my words back to me. I snorted, making her chuckle. "I do like him - a lot - maybe too much."

"I don't think it's too much - he makes you happy, Sadie." I said, kissing her forehead again and rubbing her back soothingly. "You deserve to be happy again."

I felt her warm breath on my skin as she exhaled shakily. "I _want_ to be happy, but when will I stop waiting for the other shoe to drop?" she asked, the slight wobble at the end of her sentence a dead giveaway she was falling apart.

"I don't know, doll - but you'll get there. Come here - you can lay on me for a while, okay?"

Sadie climbed up on me, resting her head in the crook of my neck and putting one hand on my heart. She'd told me once that the sound of my heartbeat was soothing, but after her reaction to the movie tonight, I wondered if she needed a little reinforcement that I really was fine. She quietly cried on me until Sebastian woke up suddenly, reaching for her in alarm.

"Sadie?" he said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Come here, doll."

"Sorry," she sobbed, letting him pull her off me.

"You've got nothin' to be sorry for," Sebastian assured her, settling her in his lap and kissing her. "I'm sorry I fell asleep on you, doll."

I felt like a third wheel as Sebastian murmured to Sadie, calming her down in his own way. I sat up so I could take off my tear dampened shirt, the clammy fabric uncomfortable on my skin, tossing it on the floor.

It wasn't long before she was cried out and we settled her between us, her back to Sebastian, who had an arm around her waist. She buried her face in my chest, one hand on my heart and one leg thrown over my hip as I rested my hand on her hip. I'm sure it would be strange to some people the way the three of us slept together, but we'd learned this was the best way to soothe her when she got like this. I stroked her leg with long, soothing motions until I knew she was asleep, her breathing deep and even.

"Was it the movie?" Sebastian asked thickly.

"I think that's part of it. She's a little nervous for your date, I think. It's a huge step for her, Seb."

"I know it is. I'm trying not to rush her..."

"But you want her, I know, punk. Believe me, I know now." I sighed, closing my eyes tiredly.

"Yeah, I think you do," he said, and I could hear his smile. "Sucks, don't it?"

"Go back to sleep," I groaned. "Talk tomorrow."

"It is tomorrow, jerk."

* *

The sun had been up for quite a while by the time I opened my eyes and looked around, wondering what had woken me when I heard it again – noises coming from the kitchen. Who would be in the kitchen? I wondered as I let go of Sadie, who was surprisingly still asleep and got out of bed. Sadie was always the first one up when we went out the night before. Sebastian cracked his eyes open, feeling the bed shift when I got up but closed them when I made a dismissive gesture, putting his arm around Sadie as I left the room, content to sleep a little longer since she was still out.

I'd forgotten some of the team stayed over last night, but Tom and Lizzie were still asleep in the guest room. I racked my brain trying to remember who else was here because the door was ajar and Lizzie hated sleeping with the door open.

I padded into the kitchen, yawning widely only to stop short. A petite redhead was making breakfast and dancing around the kitchen as it cooked with headphones on, clearly jamming out to whatever she was listening to. I wished I'd grabbed my phone to film this as I smiled, leaning on the doorway and committing the scene to my memory. Megan had her back to me, and thought she was alone as she did a drum solo, her bright hair flying as she tossed her head to the beat in a way that would have made the 80's hair bands proud.

If I thought she'd turned me on yesterday, this was even worse. I was glad I at least had shorts on over my boxers but there was no hiding my arousal. She was just so genuine – and a little bit accident prone. I saw the possibility of disaster before she did and moved in anticipation. Sure enough, her foot caught on the rug when she turned to go back to check on breakfast, pitching her forward.

Thanks to my fast reflexes I managed to catch her just in time, saving her from what probably would have been a nasty gash on her head the way it was heading for the edge of the counter. She didn't make a noise but her wide forest green eyes flew to mine in alarm as I caught her, her soft pink lips parting in surprise. I easily set her back on her feet, noticing that her chest was heaving in alarm as she slid the headphones down so they rested around her neck.

"Please tell me you just walked in now," she begged weakly, her cheeks bright red with embarrassment as she tried unsuccessfully to put space between us. "And thanks for keeping me from needing stitches again."

"I was just enjoying the show," I said with a grin as she groaned, knowing I'd seen her dancing around my kitchen. I brought one hand up to gently push her wild hair back out of her face to look her in in the eye. "But you were right, doll – my rugs _really_ don't like you."

"No, they don't. I think they're out to get me," she said, looking down. "You can let go of me now. I'm reasonably certain I won't fall now."

"Only reasonably?" I asked, "I believe I said the next time was going to cost you."

She raised an eyebrow. "It's early in the day yet; I'm not pushing my luck, Evans – so you shouldn't either."

"It's afternoon, princess, but I haven't said good morning yet, either."

I closed the distance between us, giving her the opportunity to protest but knowing she wouldn't. Her eyes didn't leave mine until they fluttered closed as our lips met. I smiled as her arms came up to pull me closer, her lips moving with mine until eventually we had to come up for air.

"Good morning," Megan said, her hands slowly slid down my torso until they reached my hips and she ineffectually tried to push herself away. "I think you can let go of me now, Chris."

Remembering that she was cooking, I let go - for now. I came up behind her, kissing down her neck while she flipped the French toast, raising goosebumps on her alabaster skin. She pushed back against me, wriggling her pert ass against me suggestively before sliding away from me get plates.

"How do you like your eggs?" She asked, making a place on the griddle for the eggs, scooping the French toast out of the pan and onto the waiting plates before cracking the eggs.

"Over easy."

She gave me a look. "You would. Yuck – I don't know how people eat runny uncooked yolk."

"I'm guessing you're a scrambled kind of person?"

"You betcha – no salmonella for me. How many?"

"Three's good." I put a couple slices of bread in the toaster so I could dip them in my egg yolk and got the syrup out of the fridge. "Thanks for making breakfast."

"You're welcome. When will everyone else be up?"

I snorted. "In a couple hours, maybe. What on earth are you doing up so early?"

"It's noon," she said, looking at me like I was crazy. "I can't believe I slept until almost noon."

"We didn't go to bed until 5:30, princess."

"Find a new nickname," she said, glaring at me from over her coffee cup.

"Honey, darling, sweetheart?" I said, pulling out a stool to sit on.

"Uggh! One kiss doesn't mean you get to call me any of those either."

"Darling, that wasn't our first kiss."

"Shit, that wasn't just a dream then," I swear I heard her say, startling a chuckle out of me.

"Nope, afraid not. So what are you listening to?"

"Linkin Park earlier," she said, eyes flicking up to mine briefly. "Your gross eggs are done." She made a face as she put them on my plate and I laughed.

"Megan, you're a girl after my own heart," Sadie said with a laugh as she came into the kitchen. She came up beside me and kissed my cheek before taking a seat next to me. "Morning Chris. Morning Megan."

 

*          *      *

Megan's POV

"You ready to go get your stuff from your old place?" Sebastian said after he got dressed. "I've got some time to go with you."

I shook my head, and went back to washing the dishes. "You don't have to come with if you have stuff you need to do, Baz. I can pack on my own just fine."

He gave me a look, leaning on the counter as he finished his coffee. "I _know_ you haven't forgotten what we told you last night – you're not going there alone, kid. Besides, I don't have any plans until tonight. We're taking Sadie out on a real date."

I shot him a suspicious glance. "Who's we?" I knew nothing about this and wasn't planning on a second night out – not sure my liver could handle it yet. I didn't think I was ready to go out on a date already either; I hadn't even been single a whole day yet.

"Just Robert and his wife Susan, me, Chris and Scarlett...Sadie didn't want to go out alone with me just yet, so we're doing a group date...she doesn't know yet, either. Chris is going to tell her later after she gets out of the shower."

My heart sank as he listed who was all going – I'd thought there was something between Chris and Scarlett yesterday the way they touched each other and the way they danced together.

"You okay? You look a little...I don't know...upset?"

I raised my eyebrows at Sebastian, desperately trying to ignore the stabbing ache in my chest. "I was just trying to remember if you told me about this yesterday," I lied, not wanting to say I was a stupid idiot for thinking that _Chris Evans_ actually liked me.  I wouldn't make that mistake again. I don't know what he'd meant by kissing me this morning, but I was nothing to him - just a way to pass the time.

"Nope. Didn't want you to spill the beans considering we were going out drinking."

"Probably for the best then. I remember 90% of yesterday. It's the part after we got back here that's a little fuzzy."

"You think? For as much as you drank yesterday I'm surprised you even remember that much – lush."

I flicked dishwater at him. "I'm not a lush – it was a straight up competition and I think I came pretty damn close there."

He grinned and shook his head at me. "You keep thinking that, cupcake. Do you have any furniture to put into storage or anything?"

I exhaled loudly. "No, Andy already had everything, so I didn't need to get any furniture."

"Good deal. Makes my job easier then."

"Do you need to borrow some suitcases to pack stuff in?" Chris asked, setting down some more dishes and giving me a smile.

I ignored him and kept my eyes focused on what I was doing as I answered politely. "Yes, please. That would be really helpful. I don't want to have to go back again and you don't have time for that either, Baz."

"I'll see how many I can find. How many do you think you need?"

I thought about that for a minute. "Two or three? I mostly just have clothes and some odds and ends."

"I'll go dig them out of the closet," Chris said and I nodded in acknowledgement, rinsing the plates I'd just washed and putting the rest of the dishes in the soapy water.

"I'll be done here in few minutes and then I'll finish packing the rest of my stuff," I said to Sebastian, who'd been standing there watching me the whole time.

Sebastian looked at me for a long moment, and I knew he'd noticed the shift in my mood. "I'll get us an Uber, then. That way you can just leave your stuff in it and I can bring suitcases down as they get full."

"That would be great - thanks, Baz."

He hesitated, taking a long drink of his coffee. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Just peachy, Ace." I sighed heavily, trying not to take my anger out on him - he didn't deserve it. I settled for resigned instead. "Instead of a relaxing weekend I now have to pack up everything I own today and move because my ex-boyfriend is a fucking cheating jerk."

"An _abusive_ fucking cheating jerk, Roşu." Sebastian set his empty coffee cup down with a hard click. "If he were just a cheating jerk this wouldn't be such a big deal. I haven't known you for very long, but I really don't want to have to find Sadie another assistant." He shuddered theatrically. "The other applicants made me want to hire a bodyguard...and wear a chastity belt or something."

"Fangirls?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Mark said something about that the other day when I didn't know who Paul Rudd or Mark Ruffalo were. I don't know who all the famous people are, sorry."

"Extreme fangirls," he confirmed with a shake of his head. "Let me know when you're ready to go."

"Give me 15 minutes."  
  


*           *               *

Chris' POV

I shoved stuff around in my closet to get the suitcases out, trying to work off my frustration. I thought I was finally starting to make progress with Megan this morning, but now I was suddenly back to square one with her and I didn't know why. I thought I'd made it clear I was interested in her, but maybe not - maybe she kissed every guy like that. My gut wrenched at the thought of her kissing other guys even though I had no claim on her.

"I thought we'd moved past this and she was going to talk to me," I vented to Sebastian as he came into bedroom to grab the suitcases. "I don't know why she's acting so cool towards me right now."

Sebastian plopped down on the bed and bit his lip while he thought. "Shit – that's my fault, Chris. She was just fine until I told her that we were taking Sadie and Scarlett out tonight," Seb said quietly. I could hear the water running, so Sadie was still in the shower and couldn't hear us. "I didn't think you were making any progress?"

"I kissed her last night – which she didn't remember – and this morning. I thought she was into it and everything butnowshewon'tevenfucking _look_ atme!"

"Stop freaking out, okay?" Seb said, tossing me my anxiety pills. "Take a breath and calm down. I can't understand you when you get this worked up." He handed me a bottle of water from the nightstand and I took it, washing down my pill. He was right, I was getting way too worked up right now.

"Probably because she thinks you're taken and she wouldn't want to step on Scarlett's toes. That would be like committing social suicide - and she isn't dumb - so she's pushing you away."

I groaned, sitting on the bed and flopping back. Megan technically worked for the studio, so that would do it - she didn't want to piss off someone like Scarlett...even if she didn't know we weren't together anymore...and I never came right out and _said_ I was single, so she didn't know that either.

"I didn't tell her I was single," I admitted.

"If you didn't say anything to Megan, I can see how she'd be confused. After seeing the way you danced with Scarlett last night –  I'd have thought you two were still together and I know better."

"Fuck me."

Sebastian snorted. "Pass. Part of your problem is that she doesn't think you'd really be into her – why pick her when you could have someone like Scarlett? Plus, you have to admit she's not your usual type."

"I don't know what to say to that. Why _wouldn't_ I like her? She's nice, smart, funny, not too serious -"

"The same reason Sadie wouldn't believe I was interested in her either," he said, cutting off my litany. "They aren't like the Minka's and Leighton's we used to go for, Chris. They're used to being normal people and walking around without being stopped by fans or the press."

"You don't think I already know that? Fuck!"

"It'll all work out, punk. You'll see."

"You have more faith than I do," I said, running my hands over my face.

"I'll talk to Megan while we're packing her stuff up, okay?" Sebastian said, giving me a reassuring smile.

"I wish she was staying here with me," I said as I sat up and looked at him and I knew he understood better than anyone else how frustrated I was right now.

"I know, pal. Women - can't live with 'em," he smirked as he said the old cliché.

"Can't live without 'em," I finished, sighing heavily. "I owe you one."

His smirk became a genuine smile - the kind I hadn't seen much of lately. "The way I figure it, we're probably about even after this. You've helped me so much with Sadie, the least I can do is help you with Megan. Fair warning - she just got out of a bad relationship, Chris. She's not going to be ready for a new one for a while, so you're going to have to take things slow for a while."

"Fuck me."

"Are you propositioning Sebastian or me?" Sadie said, coming into the bedroom in just her towel.

I snorted and smiled at her. "Neither - just using it as an expression. Put some clothes on, woman."

"I _would_ if the two of you would get out of the room already," she said, exasperated. "You weren't in here when I got in the shower."

"Going, doll," I said, standing up and shoving the suitcases at Sebastian and practically dragging him out the door with me. He'd temporarily lost the power of speech at the sight of Sadie in practically nothing, her long dark tresses loose around her shoulders and a mischievous twinkle in her eye. She wasn't unaware of how she affected him, and for a moment I felt sorry for him.

 

*            *             *

Megan's POV

I determined that Sebastian was a freaking miracle worker. By the time I was packed and ready to go he had an Uber waiting for us outside. When we pulled up in front of my old apartment, he convinced the driver to wait for us, promising to pay him for his time and include a nice tip.

"Dickhead going to be home?" he asked as he pulled the suitcases out of the trunk and followed me into my old building.

I checked the time. "No, I don't think so. They ended up at Seth's yesterday so he's probably not here yet."

"Good or I'd be tempted to punch him for being such a jerk to you."

"I feel like I should object just on principle, but I won't deny it would be _really_ satisfying to watch you kick the shit out of him Winter Soldier style."

"It would be really satisfying for me, too."

I snorted in amusement as he followed me up the stairs with the suitcases. He'd Russian dolled them into one to get them up here and I was glad he was carrying them because I would be struggling. I opened the door and let us in, the strong smell of weed that greeted us instantly made my stomach churn and my mouth fill with saliva. I quickly opened the windows to air the apartment out before I tossed my cookies. It was close, but thankfully I didn't puke.

"Where are we starting?" Sebastian asked, taking apart the suitcases. "Smells like someone had a party here - I think I'm getting a second hand high from the smell."

"Wouldn't surprise me if we were. I freaking hate the smell of weed; makes me sick," I griped, kicking a bunch of empty cans out of my path. "Do you think they could have left any more beer cans laying around?"

"Probably," he snorted. "Never underestimate what a person can do - they always surprise you."

I sighed. "Let's make this fast; we'll start in the bedroom. I hand you things – you pack them?"

He shrugged. "Works for me. I ain't touching your panties though, sweetheart. Gotta draw the line somewhere."

I rolled my eyes at him, making him smile. "I will happily pack my own underwear, swimsuit and bras, Baz."

"Good."

"So tell me about how you met Sadie," I said as I took the largest suitcase into the bedroom with me and starting emptying my half of the closet.

"Leave the hangers," he said absently. "There's plenty of them in that room already. What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

"So I actually had this crazy dream in January - the night before I met her - it was so realistic I woke up in a cold sweat, heart racing - the whole nine yards."

"Like a nightmare?" I started folding things and laying them in the suitcase as we talked.

"Not at all - it was a good dream mostly, I think. I don't remember a lot of it anymore, but I knew I was going to meet Sadie and she was going to be really important to me. I met her later that day – she was seated next to me on a flight to Germany, so we had almost a whole day together."

"So was your dream like a premonition?" I asked. "Are you psychic?"

"I'm definitely not psychic...I don't know if I'd call it a premonition; It sounds kinda crazy to say it out loud," he said, giving me a self depreciating smile.

"Not really," I said, shaking my head. "Especially if it's detailed – Gran always told that you don't ignore that stuff. Did you know about the shooting, too?"

"I knew something bad was going to happen but I didn't know when or what until I saw the car come screeching around the corner. By then, it was too late and I still couldn't change the outcome. Sadie never hesitated once, getting us all out of the line of fire and taking those shots like she did. I couldn't move her - it was like the adrenaline rush gave her a crazy amount of strength."

I considered him for a minute. "So what if you were meant to meet Sadie so she could save your life? From what I've heard, you've changed a lot since you've met her – become a better person, that kind of stuff – not that you were a bad person _before_ from what I could find. Yes, I looked you all up after I got the job," I said, rolling my eyes at the look he gave me. "Internet, so helpful."

He snorted at the reference and we packed in silence for a bit before he spoke up again. "Do you believe in love at first sight?"

I nodded. "Do you?" I asked, looking over at him; he nodded after a moment's hesitation. I smiled slightly, "My dad always said he fell in love with my mom the very first time he laid eyes on her; they're still married 30 years later – and are still just as in love as the day they met, so yes, I believe."

"I've never told anyone about the dream before," Sebastian said as he continued to roll and fold things to get them to fit better in the suitcases.

"Your secret's safe with me, Baz. Would you have given Sadie a second look otherwise - if you hadn't had that dream?"

He considered that before answering. "I'd like to think so, but I just don't know. I probably wouldn't have been so obvious in my pursuit of her, but from the first time we talked, I knew she was meant for me."

I couldn't resist singing a few lines of _I Knew I Loved You_ , one of my favorite Savage Garden songs that I'd loved since I was a kid. "I knew I loved you before I met you / I think I dreamed you into life / I knew I loved you before I met you / I have been waiting all my life." I went back to the closet to get more clothes, humming the rest to myself.

"You have a really good voice," Sebastian said. "I'm sorry we missed out on karaoke last night."

"I'm not," I said brusquely. "I don't need any more Ariel comparisons."

"Yeah, I get that," he snorted. "I've heard it more times than I can remember."

"I'm sure you have. Do you remember anything else about the dream?"

"No, I wish I did. Everything else about it started fading as soon as I woke up. The only thing that really stuck with me was her name."

"It's not a very common one, which helps." I closed up one suitcase after we'd filled it as much as possible, thinking about what he'd told me. "It must've been hard to meet Sadie and just _know_ she's your soulmate - and then find out she's married to someone else."

He let out a huge sigh and took the suitcase off the bed, setting another one down. "It was."

"She said you got her a part in a movie?"

"I suppose you haven't made it that far into the MCU yet, but yeah."

"So you could keep her near you? Since she's Bucky's love interest, she'd have to come to wherever you were shooting and then you'd get to spend more time with her."

"It took you all of two seconds to make that connection, didn't it?"

I shrugged. "You're not that complicated of a guy, Baz. Who'd be playing Sadie's part if she'd turned down the role?"

He didn't answer right away and I got down on my hands and knees to pull my shoes and other random odds and ends out of the bottom of the closet.

"I honestly don't know - but I'm glad it's Sadie. We'd had almost a dozen girls read for the part but for one reason or another they didn't work out. The Russo's were almost ready to rewrite the script by the time they had Sadie audition, but she was perfect for the role."

"So Sadie really was meant to be with you from the start."

"I like to think so. She's taken Justin's death really hard, though."

"They'd been together for a long time," I said, looking over at him while I tossed shoes to him.

"Yeah; Justin was a really good guy – and he was a good friend to me, too."

"Did he know you were in love with his wife? Tom said you guys all visit Sadie and her sons in South Dakota when you have a week or so of down time just to relax and hang out."

"It's very peaceful there - nothing like living here. I think he knew less than 5 minutes into our first face to face conversation," Sebastian admitted. "So what in the world would you wear this for?" he asked, holding up one of my more interesting outfits that he was rolling to pack.

I scrunched my nose as I fought a sneeze attack from the dust bunnies I'd disturbed. "Halloween, maybe. I've never worn it – my friend from the diner, Emma, gave it to me as a joke - at least I _think_ it was for a joke."

"I'm going to take these two suitcases down," he said as we closed up the second suitcase. "Be right back."

"Okay," I said, opening the third suitcase. "I just have a couple drawers to empty out yet. Shouldn't take long."

I was almost done with that by the time he got back upstairs, just finishing emptying my lingerie drawer and my sock drawer on top of it, covering everything up with my sweaters, which was good because I was a little weirded out about Sebastian seeing my undies when even Andy hadn't ever seen them.

"So now that I've told you about me," he said when he came back in. "I want to know about you - no sugarcoating things."

"I will try to be as honest as I can," I promised. "What do you want to know, Baz?"

"How long have you been with Andy?"

I should have known what he'd ask about. I handed him things off the top of the dresser for him to pack for me. "6 months, maybe a little longer. He was so nice and sweet when we first started dating back when I was nannying for the Anstruther's."

"Why'd you move in with him? Because they moved and you were a live in nanny?"

I nodded, rolling a pair of jeans. "I couldn't afford a decent place of my own right away and didn't know anyone else that needed a roommate, so when Andy asked if I wanted to stay with him I said sure. At the time, it seemed like a good idea."

"When's the first time he hurt you?"

I looked down at what I was doing and stopped to think. "A couple weeks ago, the first time I saw him both drunk and high. I knew he smoked pot sometimes, but he'd never done it around me before. I learned pot makes me really sick, like throw up sick, when I'm around it."

"So you're overly sensitive to it. Has he ever hurt you when he's sober?"

"No, never," I said, but Sebastian was more observant than I gave him credit for.

"Not even emotionally? Belittling you, putting you down, that kind of stuff?"

I sighed, looking over at him and seeing him focused intently on me. "Just when he drinks; then he says mean things sometimes."

"Megan, don't take this the wrong way, but are you a virgin?"

I turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know that?"

"I'm trying to figure you out. I've wondered that since you ran away yesterday. It was the easiest explanation."

I groaned, my cheeks flushing again. "I really didn't know you were there; I just thought I'd closed the bathroom door on my way out."

"So Sadie explained," he said with a grin. "I wasn't even naked yet but you sure hightailed it out of there pretty damn fast."

"Don't remind me!" I covered my face with my hands. "That was right after Chris saw me in my towel - I've never been so embarrassed in my life!"

"What do you have to be embarrassed about? You're a pretty girl, Roşu. I'm not just saying that to be nice - if you didn't notice last night, Tom Hiddleston certainly thought so, too."

I felt my cheeks heating again as I thought of Tom. "He's very nice, but I'm not really looking for anyone right now, Baz."

"Neither was I when I met Sadie."

"I think I need to take some time for myself first before I get involved with anyone else, and I don't really think I'm Tom's type, Baz. People like you date other famous people, not nobodies. That's just how it is."

He raised his eyebrows at me. "Not really - you'd be surprised at how many celebs are happy with normal people - and I've dated my fair share of normal people, too, I'll have you know."

"Before you were famous?"

"Mostly," he said with a shrug. "I don't think I was considered famous until I started with Marvel."

"And how'd that turn out for you?" I asked, crossing my arms and leaning on my dresser, done packing in here.

"They weren't Sadie," he said with a grin.

"Quality save."

"Answer the question, Roşu. Are you or aren't you a virgin?"

"I am - by my choice. I've had boyfriends and messed around and stuff, I've just never met anyone I wanted to be with...physically...like that. I don't get the point of having sex just to have sex - I think it should mean something, you know."

"So you've never been in love?"

"Does my kindergarten best friend count? He was my first kiss, too."

"No," he said with a laugh. "Unless he was your high school sweetheart?"

"Never had one of those - I was too busy for that. So nope - still waiting for the right partner, I guess." He laughed at my movie reference. I looked at him curiously. "Those weren't your run-of-the-mill questions, Baz. What are you up to?"

"Nothing, Roşu; do you have everything from in here?"

"Yeah, I think so." While I was cleaning out the closet, I found my old duffle bag to hold my makeup and toiletries. I picked it up and headed for the bathroom to get what I hadn't already taken to Chris' yesterday. I had to hand it to Sebastian – the man could pack. All those years of traveling for work made him really good at it, I guess.

Sebastian set the bag on the counter and packed what I handed to him. "You and Sadie use the same shampoo and body spray?" Sebastian laughed. "I guess I never noticed; you must not wear a lot of it."

I shrugged. "Coincidence. We just happen to share good taste. I don't think I've even worn that lately. It's fall, so I've been just using scented lotion instead."

"I like this one - Sugar Cookie?" he said, sniffing my lotion. "Makes me hungry, actually."

I just laughed, grabbing a couple more things from the bathroom closet. "It's my favorite right now. I suppose we better get going soon so you can get ready for your date."

"Is that everything?" he asked, putting the strap over his shoulder and heading for the door. "I'll take both of these down while you do one last look around."

"Thanks," I nodded, putting my purse over my shoulder.

I had my passport and that had been my biggest concern. Luckily I didn't really have much for mail sent here but I'd do a change of address form Monday to be sure. I dumped out the laundry basket and put only my dirty laundry back in, leaving Andy's in a pile. Along with my laundry detergent and quarter jar, I tossed in a couple more random things I found laying around the apartment, including my bathrobe and my winter coat before deciding that was it. Sebastian took the basket from me and looked around.

"If there's anything else, we can pick it up tomorrow, okay?"

"I think that's everything important, other than food."

"Don't worry about that - I'll buy you whatever you want for groceries tomorrow," he said, shaking his head at me. "I needed to go shopping anyway. Let's blow this popsicle stand."

"Sounds like something Sadie would say."

He snorted and walked out into the hallway, waiting for me to lock up. "Where do you think I learned it?"

 


	9. Making Friends

Chris' POV

I put my phone  in my jacket pocket as I walked back to my bedroom. My place felt a little empty again now that it was just me and Sadie here, but Sebastian and Scarlett would be here soon. I just hoped it went well tonight; I knew Sebastian was really looking forward to this. Judging by the effort Sadie was putting into her appearance, she was as well.

"Hey Sadie, you ready yet?" I asked, leaning on the door jamb. She met my eyes in the mirror and smiled.

"Almost. Will you finish zipping up my dress for me?"

I walked up behind her and carefully finished zipping her dress and fastened the hidden hooks to keep it closed before resting my hands on her shoulders and kissing the scar on her shoulder.

"So I just got a message from Ellen," I said slowly.

"DeGeneres?" she asked, putting in her earrings and turning to face me. "About what?"

I straightened her necklace and smiled. "The one and only. She wants us to be on her show Monday morning."

"Really? Why? I thought we were done with the talk shows for a while again."

I shrugged, knowing that was never really the case. "My guess is that she saw the video that Lizzie put up of us dancing last night because she said she wants Megan too. Check your messages; I'm sure you have one."

"I will in a minute. How do I look?"

I caught her hand and twirled her, making her laugh. "Stunning. I'm really glad you're doing this, Sadie. I know it hasn't been easy lately, but things are getting better." I pulled her into a hug. "They'll just keep getting better as time passes."

Her arms tightened around me. "I'm just concerned that this is too soon, Chris."

I swayed from side to side with her, rubbing her back lightly. I'd been waiting for this to come up again; Liam had warned me she wasn't sure after he'd talked to her earlier today. "It's not, doll. It's not - Justin wouldn't want you to torture yourself like this. He'd want you to be happy. The boys just want you to be happy again too."

"I know," she said, and she tucked her face into my neck, taking a deep breath.

"He misses you when you're not here, you know."

"I miss you guys too," she said, her voice failing.

I pulled back to look at her. "Hey, no crying tonight - happy occasion, remember? I'm gonna take a picture of you to send to the boys."

"Better take one of both of us, then. You're looking pretty handsome yourself there, Captain." She flashed me a smile waved a hand in front of her face to cool it, bringing my attention to the jewelry she was wearing.

"Sadie, when are you going to leave this off?" I asked, indicating her wedding ring. She only ever took it off on set and at night, so I wasn't surprised to see her still wearing it.

"When I'm ready to, I will," she said, meeting my eyes and handing me her phone. "I promise."

"Come out into the living room so I can take your picture. I'm sure you don't want our messy bed in the background."

"Yeah, no - I don't need to start a new rumor," she said with a smile, following me out and striking a pose for me. I laughed and took a couple before coming up and putting my arm around her to take a selfie. "Perfect - I'm going to post that one just to show Liam I can too take a selfie."

"Post the one of you alone too so everyone * cough* Lizzie * cough * can see your dress."

"She won't stop texting until I do," she agreed, laughing. "So what happened between you and Scarlett, Chris? I leave for a month and when I come back something's wrong."

"We're just not as close as we used to be. She's been gone a lot for her other projects and I've been busy here."

"Cut the BS, Evans," Sadie said, giving me a look. I saw the concern in her eyes and knew she wasn't going to let me avoid answering the question any longer.

"I still care about her," I said quietly, dropping the act that had never fooled her in the first place. "I guess I just wanted it more than she did. She's already been married twice and has Rose to think of... and I want a family and kids, Sadie - more than anything."

Sadie's expression softened in understanding. "She said something along the lines that she's not ready to take the time off from her career she'd have to for another baby and you - you're only halfway through your total film commitment. And I know you, Chris - you'd want to be there for everything - not just through Skype or FaceTime."

"Damn straight." If I was going to have a baby with someone, I wanted the whole experience, good and bad. I was going to be there for everything - from hearing the heartbeat to feeling it kick, right down to the delivery.

"Sometimes I wish we'd had another child," Sadie said wistfully. "I really wanted a little girl - but it just never happened."

I suddenly realized that she didn't know that Justin had made sure they couldn't have another one after Isaac was born. "How about you have my baby?" I said, only partly joking. "Best of both worlds?"

Sadie snorted and pulled away from me. "So your mom can give me 'the talk' again? Nope - polite pass, Evans. I'm not 100% certain she believed me when I told her we were only friends."

I smiled to myself - my mom adored Sadie and hadn't quit hinting that she was perfect for me. "Not 100% certain she believed me, either. She's in full on 'grandma mode' lately."

Sadie looked at me with an inscrutable expression, but her eyes a little sad. "I'm getting a little old to have more kids, Chris. You need someone younger so you can have a whole gaggle of your own. Maybe someone who won't miss their sleep so much," she winked, going back into the bedroom and coming out with her shoes a minute later.

*              *                *

Megan's POV

It didn't take me long to get unpacked at Sebastian's. I put my makeup and toiletries in the guest bathroom and started running loads of laundry. My clothes all reeked of weed from Andy's party, which still made me angry, but even after they were clean my clothes wouldn't even begin to fill the huge closet in my new room.

Nesting Chris' suitcases, I wheeled them out of my room to see where Sebastian wanted them. He was in his room, pulling on a suit jacket.

"Hey Baz, where should I put these?" I asked, knocking on the doorjamb and looking at him through the open door. He looked really good in his gray-blue suit; it really brought out the color of his eyes.

"Just by the front door's fine; I'll take them over to Chris' when I go meet up with him and Sadie."

"You clean up pretty good," I said, walking over to him to fix his collar where it'd gotten turned funny. "Where are you guys going tonight?"

"Thanks," he said, untucking his hair. "I need a haircut soon."

"Yeah, you do - Fabio."

He snorted and pretended to toss his hair, making me laugh. "We're going to Rao's. I hear it's supposed to be the best Italian restaurant in New York. Chris set it up - he has a connection or otherwise we'd never get in."

"So it's pretty exclusive?"

"Yeah," he laughed wryly, tying his tie expertly. "That's putting it mildly. After that, I'm not sure what's on the agenda - I left the planning up to Chris. What are you doing tonight?"

"I'm halfway through my bottle of wine," I said just to see him roll his eyes at me. "Kidding - I'm not even a third way through it. I'm just working on getting the weed smell out of my clothes."

"Yeah, I thought that might be the case. On the bright side, I don't do that stuff so you won't have to worry about that anymore."

"I'm so glad you have machines right here so I don't have to haul everything to the laundromat. But to answer your question, I'll probably watch some more Marvel movies - get caught up, you know."

"Alone? Are you sure that's a good idea? Winter Soldier really freaked you out this morning."

"I have it on good authority _Thor_ 1 and 2 shouldn't have that affect on me. I only know two of the people in them, not all the main characters."

"I'm sorry to miss out - I kinda want you to record your commentary on them to see if it's half as good as this mornings," he said with a grin.

I ignored him, not wanting to acknowledge the fact that drunk me thought it was a good idea to talk to the TV. "Is there a good Chinese place around here that delivers?"

He raised an eyebrow but let me change the subject. "Yeah - menu's in the kitchen. Far left drawer. I order from them a lot when I'm on a Chinese kick."

"How's their General Tso's chicken?" That was always my favorite.

"Okay - spicier than I like. Their Bourbon chicken is better - and their lomein is to die for!"

My stomach growled at me. "Sounds good. Where are we again? We're in Manhattan, I know that much."

He laughed. "I'll text it to you. Sorry, I don't know if I ever told you it before."

"It's okay," I shrugged. I had other things to think about earlier. "Have fun tonight - make sure you send me a picture of you and Sadie together."

"Will do. So I'll see you in the morning unless you're still up when I get home."

"Hard saying - depends on how long the movies take," I said, heading for the living room. "Can I just say I'm so relieved I don't have to wear heels again tonight?"

"Blisters?" he asked, looking down at my feet.

"Yeah, those shoes sure did a number on my feet after dancing in them all night."

"I think Chris would be happy if you were going," he said, switching subjects suddenly and giving me a smirk.

I groaned. "Make up your mind - first you want to set me up with Tom and now Chris? I think they're both a little out of my league, Baz. Besides, Chris is seeing Scarlett."

"You still have dates with both of them coming up, don't you?" he pointed out, his smirk getting bigger. "What if I told you Chris really wasn't dating Scarlett and they're just friends?"

I ignored him, refusing to rise to his baiting. "Bye roomie -  get going already," I said, trying to push him towards the door and not budging him an inch. "Wouldn't want you to be late for your hot date with my boss."

He looked at me in amusement as I strained to move him, failing completely.

"A little help here?" I grumbled, giving up. "You're like a brick wall, buddy." Suddenly I was scooped off my feet and unceremoniously tossed over Sebastian's shoulder. "Put me down - I'm trying to get rid of _you_ , not the other way around. I can walk, you know!"

"Nope, you said your feet are too bad. Can't be letting you walk," he laughed teasingly. "Besides, you weren't going to be able to budge me, you know that, right Roşu?"

"I should get points for effort. You're worse than my brothers - put me down," I said, pounding on his back with my fist.

Damn, he was a lot stronger than I thought he was. I couldn't even move my legs the way he had them pinned to him with one arm. I hissed painfully when he rapidly repositioned me and slung me down into his arms, hitting the worst of my bruises and sending streaks of pain shooting through me. I instantly arched my back away from his touch and he set me down abruptly, looking at me in concern.

"What's wrong, Megan? Are you okay?"

"Just hit a sore spot," I said roughly, fighting the tears that had sprang into my eyes. "I'll be fine in a minute."

"You're injured; let me see it," he ordered in a flat voice.

"No," I said, glaring at him. "You're only going to be pissed off." He gave me the puppy dog look and I had to look away before I gave in to him - he did a really _really_ good puppy dog look. How on Earth did Sadie resist that look?

"Please Roşu?" he begged. "I need to know so I don't hurt you again."

"Fine," I muttered, turning my back to him and raising my shirt a little. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

He lifted my shirt up further as I used my hands to cover my breasts. I wasn't wearing a bra because it hurt too badly to put one on right now. I heard his sharp exhale when he saw the marks, his warm fingers gentle as they ghosted over my back, tracing the worst marks.

"Have you seen a doctor for these?" he asked, his voice tight. "I knew he'd hurt you...I didn't know it was this bad."

I tensed and shook my head. "I bruise easily."

"I'm going to kill him," he growled, his tone raising the hair on the back of my neck as I put my shirt back down. I turned to look at him and quickly took a couple steps back at the expression on his face, instinctively putting furniture between us and getting myself out of arms reach. The anger on his face morphed into something I couldn't define.

"Breathe, Roşu. Just breathe before you pass out, okay? I'm sorry - I didn't mean to scare you. I wasn't thinking." I took a shaky breath and realized I was trembling uncontrollably. "I wasn't angry at you, Megan - never you. I was angry at _him_ for hurting you like this."

I gave him a small nod, acknowledging his words. He thankfully didn't make a move to come closer, giving me time to calm down. I looked down, focusing breathing normally and on trying to stop the trembling. As my heartrate slowed, the shaking stopped. I finally looked up again to see Sebastian still watching me, concern the only expression I could identify. His cerulean eyes met mine and he bit his lower lip as he thought.

"Megan, I need to ask you something and I need you to answer honestly."

"Okay," I said, and thankfully my voice was even.

"Do you feel safe staying with me?"

I thought for a moment, closing my eyes until I was sure of my answer. "Yes, Baz."

"Are you afraid of me physically hurting you?"

I shook my head and slowly forced myself to get closer to him so that my words wouldn't be a lie. "No, I have no reason to be afraid of you - any of you."

"You were initially," he said flatly and I couldn't even deny it. "I've seen you flinch from me."

"You're very... large, Sebastian," I tried to explain, stopping in front of him. "Not just tall...muscular, I guess I don't know how else to say it. You're twice my size, roughly."

"We're big and physically intimidating, and yes, I am almost twice your size."

I nodded slowly. "That's what you're supposed to be for your job, not who you are as a person. All of you guys are, actually - other than Tom, Mark and Robert." I smiled, thinking of Tom Holland - the least physically imposing superhero I knew. "I wouldn't be able to stay with you if I was actually afraid of you."

He nodded, relaxing slightly but still looking uncomfortable. "Megan, are you afraid of Chris physically hurting you? You flinch away from him sometimes and last night you seemed like you were afraid of him."

"Not since I've gotten to know him. Neither of you are like Andy when you drink."

"This morning, when we were watching the movie you were scared of him for a little bit."

I nodded, looking away from him. "Seeing him do to Scarlett what Andy'd done to me - I didn't like that - and I can't deny I was afraid of him for a little bit."

"You know he wouldn't really do that," Sebastian said. "Right?"

I closed the distance between us, knowing he wouldn't make a move towards me right now, sliding my arms around his waist. "I know. I'm sorry I upset you, Baz. I know you were just goofing around with me earlier when you were carrying me. You didn't know."

"I'm sorry I hurt you, Roşu." He put his arms carefully around me, only touching where I wasn't bruised. I felt him kiss the top of my head and stroke my hair.

"You better get going or you'll be late," I finally said, letting go of him. "I've got plans - _Thor_ 1and 2 aren't going to watch themselves."

He chuckled and let go of me. "All right, I'm going. We good?"

"We good."

After Sebastian left I decided to shower. I felt dirty from all the packing and unpacking I'd done today and I couldn't wait to get clean - and get the smell of weed off me. As the hot water relaxed me, I thought about how lucky I was. I had a great boss and good friends that cared about me.

This morning, before I'd decided to make breakfast I'd posted a brief, vague message about moving on and a little later Andy had posted a picture of him with his new girlfriend, Rayna. It was overly sweet and made me wonder how long he'd been cheating on me with her. I unfollowed and blocked Andy on all of my social media accounts, changing my passwords for good measure – just in case he knew any of them.

I had a couple dozen texts from my friends that I'd been messaging off and on for most of the day. My friends from the diner all wanted to know if I was doing okay after they'd seen my status change back to single on Facebook. Emma wanted to know if I had a place to stay for a while, so I sent my friends a Snap of my room and posted a picture of my temporary room on Instagram with the caption – _Let the Roomie Chronicles begin!_ I hadn't had a roommate since college, so this was going to be interesting. When I was a nanny, I was always so busy with the kids that living with them just make my life easier.

Then I posted a picture of the _Thor_ movies and a glass of wine captioned _Lazy night in_. My phone buzzed a minute later with a text from an unknown number.

**_You're going to watch_ ** **_my movies without me?_ **

_Who's this?_

**_Tom Hiddleston._ **

_Hi Tom – sorry, this_ _isn't the number I had_ _for you in my phone. O_ _k to talk?_   
  
  


My answer was an incoming call. "Hey Tom."

"Hello Megan," he said, his cultured British voice making me smile. "How are you today?"

I smiled. "Perfectly fine. I'm one of those people that wakes up cheerfully early after a night out. How about you?"

"I'm well but it's probably a good thing the team doesn't party like that often. So who won your drinking challenge?"

I laughed. "I ended up losing to Chris - uggh I hate to lose! I don't know what I was thinking to make a challenge like that to him."

"You are certainly an original, Megan."

"Thanks, I think," I smiled to myself. "But anyways, to answer your question, I _was_ going to watch these alone, but you're certainly welcome to join me if you don't have anything going on tonight."

"Where's everyone else?" he asked.

I rattled off the list for him. "Well, Sadie, Baz, Scarlett and Chris are going on a date tonight; Baz just left to meet up with them a little bit ago. Lizzie said she's hanging out with her sister this weekend and Tom Holland had to get packed to head home until they need him in LA, so it's just me, myself, and I."

"I would love to join you, if you don't mind," he said. "I was just scrolling through my feed when your update popped up and I knew I had to say something."

"I wondered how you managed to reply so fast. I'm at Baz's if you want to come over. Do you know where that is?"

"Yes, I've been there a time or two. I'm already ready to leave, so I'll be there in 15 – my hotel isn't very far from his apartment. Have you eaten yet?"

"No – I was just going to order Chinese but I'll wait until you get here to order. Baz said there's a good place near here that delivers and I haven't decided what I want yet."

"Brilliant."

"Text me when you get here so I can buzz you in."

"I shall do so. See you soon."

"Bye Tom."

I determined I'd better change out of my pajamas if Tom was coming over. I went to see if the dryer was finished yet and snagged a pair of leggings out of it, along with a comfy long sleeved tunic top that I loved because it was incredibly soft. I pulled my hair up into a messy bun and went to finish hanging up my shirts so they didn't get wrinkled. I'd just finished when Tom texted to let me know he was here. I ran to the door and hit the button to buzz him in, suddenly nervous for some reason.

I went into the kitchen and refilled my glass of wine, taking it back into the living room just as I heard a knock at the door. I was actually too short to see out of the peephole without getting on my tiptoes, but from what I could tell, it was Tom.

"Hey Tom," I greeted him, opening the door. "Come on in."

"Hello Megan; it's good to see you again," he said with a wide smile, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him. He paused in confusion. "Either you're smaller than I remember or my mind is playing tricks on me."

I laughed lightly at his expression. "I had some pretty tall heels on last night, which helped - but you're probably about a foot taller than me, Thomas."

"I'm sorry; so it would appear I am." He shyly held out a small bouquet of flowers to me. "These are for you, darling. I saw them on my way here and couldn't resist."

"Thank you," I said, smiling in delight as I sniffed them. I loved flowers and I couldn't think of the last time someone had gotten them for me other than Valentine's Day. I slid one arm around his waist and gave him a quick hug; he was way too tall for me to think about trying to put an arm around his neck. "They're lovely, Tom."

"Not nearly as lovely as you," he replied without even pausing, but the _way_ he said it made me think he actually meant it and it wasn't a stock phrase. His eyes were just as sincere as his voice. He certainly wasn't what I expected; I knew from yesterday he was polite and kind. Maybe Sebastian was right and he was interested in me after all.

"I'm going to search for a vase so I can get these into water. You're a guy – where would you put a vase?"

He blinked at me in surprise. "You know, I have several but they're in constant use. I'm not sure where Seb keeps them – maybe under the sink?"

"I'll open cupboards until I find one," I said with a smile as we walked into the kitchen. "How much you want to bet they're somewhere I need a chair to get them from?"

He chuckled. "After last night, I'm not making a wager against you. Besides there's nothing I can say that won't sound like an insult and that isn't my intention."

I smiled, pleasantly surprised that he didn't make a short comment. "Short girl problems – I'll have to get myself a folding step-stool so I can reach things around here. Baz is about as tall as you, I think."

"Or you could just ask Sebastian where he keeps them," Tom said as I climbed up to stand on the counter. "That would be the logical thing to do."

"No, I don't want to interrupt their date," I said, opening cabinets to see what was inside. I closed that one and moved to the next before looking over to see he was taking a picture. "Tom!"

"Just saving you some time, darling," he said with a grin as he typed. A minute later he told me, "Sebastian says they're in the far right cupboard, top shelf - and to get off the counter."

"Did he really say that?" I held out my hand for his phone and saw that he did. I typed out S _crew you, Baz. I can't help it I'm short_ and sent it before handing Tom back his phone.

"Megan, I can't believe you said that to him!" Tom exclaimed, typing rapidly.

I gave him an exasperated look. "Don't you _dare_ apologize for me, Hiddleston - I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it." I said  firmly as I carefully walked over to that cupboard, opening it while Tom was distracted. Sure enough – there they were - and I had a decent selection, too. "Are you regretting your association with me already?"

He chuckled, aware that I'd found what I was looking for. "Never, Megan. You've simply made my day more interesting."

"Well that took all of the fun out of things," I pouted, handing a vase down to Tom and then crouching to jump off the counter. Tom stopped me before I could jump, his expression concerned.

"Allow me, darling." He put his hands on my hips gently and lifted me down like I weighed nothing. "You make me nervous, watching you walk around up there."

"I do it all the time, Tom," I said with a shrug and a smile, but he didn't look reassured. I picked up the vase and filled it with water before opening drawers and looking for scissors. I trimmed the stems and arranged the flowers in the vase while Tom watched.

He gave me an appreciative smile when I glanced up at him. "You've spent some time around flowers."

"I worked for a florist for a while in my freshman year of college," I replied. "I still hate Valentine's Day and Prom week."

"Prom?"

"Surely you've heard of it before?

"Can't say that I have, but it must involve flowers."

"It's an American fancy dress dance that happens during high school, usually in spring. It's a pretty big deal; the guys rent tuxes and girls wear formal dresses. It's one of the most demanding floral occasion in the US since every guy wears a boutonniere and all the girls wear corsages."

"Ahh. So it's like a ball for teenagers?"

"Exactly," I said as I pulled the takeout menu from the drawer and handed it to Tom. "Baz said this place is pretty good. I'm going to try their Bourbon chicken, I think."

"Would you like me to order while you finish?" Tom offered as I started cleaning up my mess and wiping off the counter, gathering the bits of stem and washing the scissors.

"If you don't mind," I said, giving him a smile. "That would be great – I'll take lomein with mine."

I snapped a quick picture of my flowers and posted it while Tom ordered, a smile hovering on his lips as he watched me. I went to switch out my laundry now that the washer was done, starting another load. I was almost half done at least, so that was good.

"So I know we all drank a fair amount last night, but I think I missed something, so I simply have to ask," Tom said from the doorway, taking in the chaos. "Why are you staying with Sebastian?" I could hear the rampant curiosity in his voice.

I took a moment to decide what to tell him. "Well, I broke up with my lying, cheating boyfriend last night. I lived with him, so I needed to move out and we leave New York in a couple days, so the sooner the better." I sorted out what I wanted in the next load, glad I'd run my socks and underwear earlier. "Sadie convinced me that it wasn't worth trying to find a place to store my stuff since she doesn't live here and we're going to be traveling a lot until the end of the year. Baz offered me his guest room, and Sadie was okay with it, so here I am."

"I see. There's more to it than that, isn't there?"

I felt my face flush and I started to brush past him on my way to the living room. "Possibly."

"I highly doubt either Chris or Sebastian gave you these," he said, stopping me and touching my upper arms gently. "It wasn't _that_ dark last night, Megan."

"I don't really want to talk about it, Tom. It's over and I'm moving on, okay?"

He let go of me and I kept moving. I'd already had enough interventions; I was just done talking about things today. I went over to the DVD player and put in the first movie, turning on the TV and sound bar. He had the same setup as Chris, so I knew how to run it, at least.

"I'm terribly sorry for causing you further distress, Megan," Tom said sincerely when I walked back over to the couch, holding out a hand to me. "Can you forgive me?"

"You haven't done anything wrong, Tom. Why are you apologizing for being a good friend?"

I took his hand and he pulled me into a hug. He was a lot leaner than Sebastian, so I could easily get my arms around him. I rested my head on his chest, feeling him wrap his arms around me and breathing in his scent as his warmth seeped into me. As I recalled from last night, he smelled really good. I tried not to make a noise when his arms tightened uncomfortably over my bruises but he knew something was wrong right away and loosened his grip.

"I'm sorry, I don't know my  own strength sometimes," he said, looking down at me in concern. "Are you all right, darling?"

I sighed and shook my head. "It's not you, it's me. My back is still pretty sore but it's better than it used to be." That was the truth...mostly.

"I'm sorry; did you pull a muscle moving today?"

This man apologized way too much for things that weren't his fault. Any other time I would have been amused by it, right now I needed to address his concern. "It's an older injury, Tom. I'll be fine, it's just a little sensitive to touch."

"Then I won't offer to rub your back if it will only hurt you further."

"I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to take a raincheck," I said with a smile, letting go of him. I changed the subject quickly. "So I probably should have watched your movies before I watched _Avengers_ , right? I forgot where they are on the timeline."

"The first one, yes. The second one comes before _Winter Soldier_."

"Well, I screwed that one up," I sighed, snapping my fingers. "Oh, and how much was the Chinese? I forgot to ask earlier when you got done ordering."

He shook his head and sat down. "Nothing. If you think I'm going to let you pay, you can think again, darling. You invited me over, the least I can do is pay for dinner."

"You're spoiling me, Tom," I said, grinning as he chuckled. "What would you like to drink?"

"A glass of wine would be nice," he said, indicating my glass.

"Riesling okay? I'm not too hip on what kind of wine goes with what food. I just like this kind and we opened the bottle last night."

"Perfect, actually," he replied. "I think white wine goes better with Chinese than red."

 

*          *       *

Chris' POV

I watched as Sebastian pulled out his phone to check it, then showed it to Sadie, who started laughing immediately.

"What's so funny?" I asked, turning away from Scarlett.

"Megan's looking for a vase, but instead of asking where Sebastian keeps them she's just opening cupboards until she finds them," Sadie said as Sebastian typed a reply.

"That could take a while," I said, shaking my head. "Why's she looking for a vase? Didn't know you even had any, punk."

"I do have vases, jerk; I just don't need them often."

"Did she give up and finally ask you where they were?" Robert asked with a smirk. "And why's she at your place, Seb?"

"Tom Hiddleston's asking because he's concerned that she's _standing on the fucking counter_ ," Sebastian said, shaking his head. "Tom said he brought her flowers, which is why she's looking for a vase." He ignored Robert's other question, looking at me instead and shaking his head slightly, his eyes skimming the overly interested people across from us.

"Talk to Sadie. She can tell you later - it's not something to talk about here," I said, indicating the packed restaurant where the tables around us were a little closer than I liked. I'd forgotten how full this place always was - but it was worth it. Their food was amazing and their dessert was to die for.

Sebastian showed us the picture and I shook my head in amazement. Things weren't going to be dull with Megan around, that's for sure. I wondered what Tom was doing there, though. I felt an ache in my chest at the thought of him hanging out with her alone - it was obvious last night that he liked Megan, too.

"What's Tom doing there?" Scarlett asked before I could, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Don't know yet," Sebastian said before he started laughing. "She just told me off!"

"Why?" Robert asked, with amusement. "Not that you didn't deserve it -" he stopped when Susan said something to him, giving her his attention.

"I told Tom to tell her to get off the counter and she didn't care for that, " Sebastian said, setting his phone down and leaning back in his chair, one arm resting on the back of Sadie's chair.

"Megan posted she's watching both of the _Thor_ movies tonight on Instagram," Sadie said, scrolling through Instagram on her phone. "I was talking to Tom earlier today and I might have mentioned that he'd missed out on how funny Megan was last night when we were watching _Winter Soldier_. Scarlett - you should've come back to Chris' with us - you missed out, too."

"It sounds like it," Scarlett said, leaning forward to look at Sadie. "What did she say about Natasha?"

"She said she wanted to be like you when she grew up - it was a great conversation," Sadie said with a chuckle. "She just wants to be a ninja, though, not an assassin."

"I'm going to get her back," Sebastian said suddenly. "She said something about roomie diaries , didn't she doll?"

"Roomie Chronicles; I thought that was pretty good. You're going to post that picture - aren't you, Sebastian?" Sadie said with a smile.

"Oh yeah!" he smirked, typing a post on Instagram. "Done - and I tagged her in it."

"You didn't!" Scarlett said, covering her mouth as she laughed. "She's going to kill you, Seb! You have millions of followers. Everyone's already dying of curiosity as to why we follow her."

"Let them," he said dismissively. "I can follow whoever I want to follow."

"Ellen's going to want you too now," I said, shaking my head. "If she didn't already, that is."

"She already asked me for the whole dancing thing," he said, putting his phone away. "I forgot to tell you earlier. Doll, you're gonna have to help me brush up on my dancing before Monday."

Sadie smiled at him and promised, "If your new roomie doesn't kill you first, I will."

"Bribe her with cheesecake," I suggested. "I already asked for a whole one to take home with me."

"Yeah, I bet you did," Robert said with a laugh. "Sounds like she's a little firecracker."

"Stubborn too," Sebastian said, rubbing his beard.

Sadie only shook her head at us. "Lizzie already said she wants to be there when Megan watches _Age of Ultron_ , too. She wants to hear what Megan has to say about her character."  
  


*             *             *

( _Sorry- I really wanted to work this in but 1st person wasn't an option)_  
3rd person POV

"Megan - you still up?" Sebastian asked as he let himself into his apartment and heard the TV still going. He walked into the living room to see if she was in there only to see a drowsy Tom Hiddleston instead. "Hey Tom. Is she sleeping?"

"Yes, for a little while now," Tom said quietly, gesturing to the small redhead leaning on his arm snuggled up in a blanket. "I didn't want to wake her."

"I'm so taking a picture. I can use this as blackmail later."

Tom smiled and looked over at Megan just as Sebastian took the picture, making it look like he was capturing an intimate moment. Sebastian put his phone in his pocket and shrugged out of his suit coat. He laid it over the back of the couch, unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt and loosening his tie.

"How was watching your movies with Megan?"

A smile curved Tom's lips as he glanced down at the woman next to him. "As amusing as Sadie said it would be. She's a delightful companion."

"Yeah, she is. I'll put her in her bed so you can go, Tom; she's pretty light."

"In a moment," Tom said, meeting the other man's eyes. "If you wouldn't mind, I have a question for you, Seb."

"Shoot."

"Was her ex-boyfriend abusing her?"

Sebastian sighed heavily and sat down on the arm of his couch. "Did you ask her that?"

Tom shook his head. "I didn't wish to upset her by asking when she'd so recently broken up with him, but things just aren't adding up."

"Like what?" Sebastian asked, looking over at Tom.

"Those marks on her biceps, for one, and then when I gave her a hug earlier she tensed the moment I came into contact with her back and I was barely touching her, saying it was an older injury. Finally, there's the fact that she's _here_ instead of staying with one of her other friends - who she's been messaging most of the evening - perhaps so you can keep an eye on her?"

Sebastian chewed on his lower lip and took a deep breath before answering. "I think," he said slowly, "that her ex liked to push her around just because he could - but she hasn't said that, at least not to me. I'm going off bits and pieces that I've put together."

"That's what I was afraid of."

"I can truthfully say she's better off now," Sebastian finished, his eyes on the small woman. "She needs time to heal, both physically and emotionally. From what I got out of her, he wasn't like that to her until she moved in with him."

Tom's expression became enigmatic. "Did he-"

"No," Sebastian said flatly, leaving no room for misinterpretation. "I asked that as well, but no, he didn't."

Tom let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you for your honesty; that explains a few things," Tom mused, more to himself than to Sebastian. "I just thought I made her nervous, but that wasn't it."

"I wish that her nervousness was just the normal kind we see from fans or when we're in character," Sebastian said, letting out a deep breath, "but it's not."

"No, it isn't. She's a little afraid of us, I think. It lessens as she spends time with us but it's never truly gone. An overly swift movement towards her has her tensing at the very least."

"You like her, don't you?" Sebastian asked, carefully freeing Megan from her blanket before picking her up and draping her over his shoulder like a sleeping child without her even waking up.

"There's nothing about her not to like from what I've seen," Tom said, meeting Sebastian's eyes as he got to his feet. "You seem rather fond of her yourself."

"She reminds me of a younger Katie - feels like I've known her for years instead of days. Will you open her door and pull back the covers on her bed for me?"

"Of course," Tom replied, going ahead and getting her bed ready for her, watching as Sebastian carefully laid her down without touching her back. He waited until her limbs were more comfortably arranged before he covered her up.

"I think Isaac weighs more than she does," Sebastian said as he shut the door on the way out. "She sleeps just as hard, though."

Tom smiled at the comparison to Sadie's younger son. "She seemed very pleased with your guest room."

"I told her I didn't care what she did to it as long as she didn't get too crazy... and it's a lot bigger than her old apartment. Her whole place would fit into my living room and maybe half the kitchen; it was that tiny."

"How was your date?" Tom asked, slipping on his jacket.

"Good - Sadie really liked the place and Robert was hilarious. It felt more like a team supper than a date, but she was happy the whole time so that's all that matters."

"I'm very happy to hear that. She deserves to be happy again - these last two months have been hard on her. We've talked a lot," Tom admitted.

"I know you have; you're a good friend to her, Tom."

"I try to be. Sadie is very dear to me."

"I know - she adores you as well. I'm thinking about taking Sadie to a show before she leaves for home again, but she won't go unless a couple other people go too."

"She's still resisting?"

"Yeah," Sebastian said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Would you want to come along - and maybe bring a date? God, I feel like I'm in high school again!"

Tom nodded, smiling slightly. "I will give it some thought, but I'm certainly inclined to say yes as long as it works with my filming schedule."

"Great! I'll send you the details tomorrow."

"Do you think Megan would like to go as well - just not necessarily as a date?" Tom asked seriously. "I'd like to see her again before they leave town."

"Never know unless you ask," Sebastian shrugged. "But most likely, yes. Goodnight, Tom. Thanks for keeping her company tonight."

"It was my pleasure," Tom said, slipping on his shoes and letting himself out, a little spring in his step despite the late hour. "Good evening, Seb."

 


	10. Little Talks

Megan's POV

I was a little confused when I woke up sometime in the middle of the night to find myself tucked in a bed still in my clothes from the night before. It took me a little bit to remember where I was: Sebastian's apartment.

I sat up, looking for my phone before realizing it was probably still in the living room. I wondered if Tom had put me to bed or if Sebastian had when he got home since I was pretty sure I'd fallen asleep during the second movie. I felt a little bad for missing out on the rest of the movie; it had been really good. Darcy Lewis was my new favorite character, which had amused Tom to no end.

I got out of bed, opening the door and going out into the living room. I turned on the light and after a brief search found my phone. I picked up the slips of paper from my fortune cookies as well, wanting to keep them. We'd laughed so hard at them; Tom had never heard of putting the phrase 'in bed' after a fortune when reading it out loud, so maybe that was just an American thing.

I assumed Sebastian was home – his suit jacket was draped over the back of the couch. I turned the light off on my way back to my room, checking my messages because I saw I had a bunch of texts even though it was 2 am. Most of them were drunk texts from my friends asking where I was and why I wasn't at the party they'd wanted me to come to. I only shook my head as I quickly replied telling them I was staying in tonight and had fallen asleep watching a movie.

I also had a short, sweet text from Tom, which made me smile. He was easily the nicest person I'd ever met - not at all what I'd expected after seeing _Avengers_. If it hadn't been so late I'd reply to him, but I was sure he'd be asleep by now.

**_Thanks for a_ ** **_wonderful evening,_ ** **_Megan. I'll ring you_ ** **_in the morning._ **

I stripped out of my clothes, putting on a comfortable nightie before I climbed back in bed. I'd really enjoyed hanging out with Tom tonight. He was so easy to talk to – and so nice – the opposite of Andy in almost every way, now that I thought about it.

* *

I was up bright and early the next morning and made waffles for breakfast since I'd found a waffle iron yesterday when I'd been poking through cupboards looking for that vase. My mom called while I was cooking and I knew that if she was calling this early she really wanted to talk to me.

"Hey Mom. How are you?"

**Good, baby. Why didn't you tell me you were moving?**

"It was kind of sudden. Andy was cheating on me so I broke up him."

**That jerk! How dare he screw around on you?**

I decided that was a rhetorical question because I had no intention of answering it. "Anyways, I needed to move out as soon as possible and Sadie's friend offered me the guest room. We leave for South Dakota on Thursday and after I see where Sadie lives and meet her boys I was planning on coming home for a couple days until I have to meet her in LA."

**That would be great, honey. What day are you coming so we can meet you at the airport? We haven't seen you in months! You really need to try to get home more often.**

It turned out that the twins had shown Mom my Instagram posts and she had a thousand questions for me. I avoided saying my roommate was a guy – she hadn't wanted me to live with Andy either – my parents were a little old fashioned where I was concerned. I told her all about my new job and that I really liked it.

Sebastian tousled my hair when he came into the kitchen sometime in the middle of that conversation.

"Baz – knock it off!" I swatted at him ineffectually with the spatula. "Leave my hair alone."

 **Who's Baz?** My mom asked, having heard my protest.

"My roomie, Sebastian. He thinks he's funny." I stuck my tongue out at him, making him grin.

"I'm hilarious, Roşu. Nice pj's," he said, gesturing at my floral nightie. I blushed deep red, forgetting that I hadn't put clothes on for the day yet but to go change now would only let him know he got to me. Besides, it wasn't like this was a slutty nightie or anything.

**Is he your new boyfriend?**

"Eww – no Mom. He's just a friend – he's totally in love with someone else, like looking for a ring serious."

**Can I talk to him?**

I muted my phone. "Baz, my Mom wants to talk to you and make sure you're not some kind of creeper."

"Sure," he said, holding out his hand for my phone. I unmuted it and gave it to him, finishing eating my eggs while I listened with amusement to my mom grilling him as he dished himself up and started eating.

"Your mom could teach reporters how to do a real interview," he said after she finished talking to him. "They had to leave for church otherwise I'd never have escaped the Spanish Inquisition, but I think she likes me."

"You're lucky then – it was a shorter conversation than it normally would have been."

"I feel sorry for your boyfriends, Roşu," he said with a grin. "Thanks for making breakfast. Whenever you're ready for the day we're supposed to go over to Chris'."

"Why?"

"Didn't Sadie tell you?" I raised my eyebrow at him and made a gesture of confusion. "We're going to be on Ellen tomorrow."

"Yeah, she told me that."

"And you too," he said pointing at me with his fork.

"I was planning on going with Sadie to Ellen's studio, wherever that is. I figured I'd google it today."

He smiled wryly as he spelled it out for me. "Roşu, Ellen wants you on her show too – and she films in California. We won't be on set tomorrow."

"No," I said reflexively, staring at him wide-eyed. That wasn't what I thought Sadie had told me yesterday.

He laughed and gave me an amused smirk. "You don't say _no_ to Ellen unless you have a really good reason, kid. Like you're in the hospital or something or have a contagious disease."

"You guys make sense but why do _I_ need to be on the show?"

"She wants us to show her how to dance like we did the other night and Sadie doesn't dance like you do - she doesn't like to be picked up like that."

I gaped at him. "Is this normal?"

"Yup. Chris and I had Josh and Mark take care of the transportation since they know the drill."

"I thought she filmed here in New York?"

"No, her studio is in Burbank, California. It's going to be a quick there and back kind of thing since we aren't done filming here. The Russo's already know and told us to put in a good plug for the upcoming movie."

I pushed my plate away, upset that I'd let my boss down. I should have made arrangements for her instead of having Mark and Josh doing it. I'd message them later and apologize for slacking and hopefully they wouldn't hate me.

"I'm sorry, Baz - I didn't know that's what Sadie meant when she told me about it. I'm a horrible assistant!"

He reached a hand over and patted my arm lightly. "Chris and I realized that you didn't understand last night but I told her to let us take care of it since you had enough to deal with from moving. And you're not a horrible assistant, just an inexperienced one. You've still got a lot to learn - wait until we have to go on this next press tour. How were your movies?"

"Good. Darcy can be my new bestie. So what time did you get back last night?"

He snorted. "You and Kat would get into way too much trouble together. It was after midnight when I got in; you were zonked out on the couch so I put you to bed."

"Thanks. I must have been more tired than I thought – I didn't even wake up. Was Tom still here when you got home?"

"Yeah," he said with a smirk.

"Mind telling me why you posted the pic he sent you? I woke up to a ridiculous amount of notifications this morning because _you_ _tagged me_ – and then the rest of the cast commented too!"

He gave me a Bucky smile, making me roll my eyes at him. "It was for the Roomie Diaries. I couldn't resist."

"Me either," I said as I snapped a quick picture of him eating breakfast with a smirk on his face and posted it in black and white, tagging him; two could play this game. "And it's Roomie _Chronicles_ \- get it right."

He pulled out his phone as it buzzed and laughed. "Oh, it's on now! Just for that I'm putting up the one of you sleeping on Tom from last night."

"You took a picture of that? _Why?"_

"I did... aww, look at you all cuddled up on him," he teased waggling his eyebrows at me.

"Fuck me – _when_ did you take that picture?" I asked as it showed up on my feed. He'd tagged us both and I looked up at him in amazement. It was actually a really great picture, Tom looking over at me while I was leaning on his shoulder, fast asleep and wrapped in a fuzzy blanket.

"Right after I got home," he said, answering his phone as it rang. "Hello?"

I set my plate by the sink and went to go get in the shower, not intending to listen in on his conversation. Sebastian stopped me before I could leave the room, catching my hand.

"No I'm not naked in that picture, Chris. Why the hell would I be?" he said, sounding exasperated. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "Yeah, yeah - I hear you. I'll have her put up another one, okay? Bye."

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked, looking at Sebastian in concern. "Is he mad at me?"

"No, Chris said it looked like I'm naked in that last picture. Can you add another one to your post?"

"Yeah, sorry – I didn't mean to get you in trouble." I said quietly.

"I'm not in trouble, Chris is just a worrier. You couldn't know he'd overact at us just goofing around again."

"You wanna pose or something?" I asked. "Get something from the fridge or do dishes, maybe?"

He thought about that for a second and nodded, getting up from his seat. "That'll work. I'll get some orange juice from the fridge."

"You mean drink from the jug?" I asked when he just went to the fridge without getting a glass first and took the lid off the orange juice.

"That wasn't what you meant?" he said with a shrug. "I do that already."

" _Eww_ \- I see that! From now on I'm buying my own orange juice – and labeling it. Do you drink out of the milk jug too?"

"Only the chocolate one."

"Good to know. You've lived alone for too long, Baz."

"I'm a bachelor – what did you expect? I at least remembered to put on pants before I left my room today."

"So I should consider myself warned that you sleep in your skivvies?" I said bluntly, giving him a look.

"Yup. It's not like your pj's are much better."

I flipped him off as I brushed my hair back out of my face. "Whatever, Stan. Everything's covered - and then some. The dress I wore out Friday night showed more skin than my nightie does."

"I suppose you have a point," he said, looking at me consideringly. "Women's clothes don't make sense."

"They don't have to," I declared as I snapped a picture of him with the fridge open acting like he was going to drink out of the orange juice carton and then one of my hand giving him a glass while he had a chagrined look on his face. If I hadn't been the one taking the pictures, I wouldn't have known he was acting, it looked so natural.

"What do you think?" I asked, showing them to him.

He nodded and handed my phone back. "Works for me; go ahead and upload them."

"Note to self – look closer before posting pictures. Holy shit – that first one is getting likes crazy fast! You have a lot of followers, Baz."

 

*       *          *

Chris' POV

I watched as two more pictures showed up on a separate post that clearly showed Sebastian at least had pants on, preventing another rumor from getting started. I tended to just sleep in my boxers too when it was just me and Sadie but I knew better than to post pictures of me dressed like that. Case in point: Seb's first picture was going viral already.

My mouth went dry when Sebastian posted one of Megan with her long, wild hair loose wearing a knee length nightie holding a glass out to him. I laughed when I saw how it was captioned _: Roomie thinks I need house training. I guess I'm_ ** _NOT_** _supposed to drink from the carton? Who knew?_

Megan looked really good like that – an exasperated smile hovering on her lips. From the angle he'd taken the picture, I could see that the marks on her arms were still visible, but not really obvious unless you knew they were there. Megan's bright hair caught the eye and her expression held it.

"Have you seen Seb's Insta this morning?" I said, sitting down next to Sadie at the island. She pushed a plate over to me and I leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Thanks for making breakfast, doll."

"You're welcome, and yeah, I was just working my way through my feed. Aww – they look so cute together!" Sadie said when she saw the picture of Megan and Tom. She looked up at me and set a hand on my arm. "I know that's not what you want to hear, but she just got out of a relationship, Chris. She's not going to just jump into another one. When's the last time you had to put some effort into pursuing a girl?"

"Define effort?" I asked, looking over at her.

"I'm going to assume it's been a while, then," she said, rolling her eyes at me. "You're out of practice with being a normal guy."

"But I'm not normal."

"Don't I know it," she said with a snort. "I should have recorded that for future reference." Sadie continued scrolling and smothered a laugh at Sebastian's last post. " _House training_? Good luck with that, girl." 

*          *

"Ready?" I asked Megan, taking her small hands in mine.

Megan hadn't been very happy about the whole situation, but after a short conversation with Sadie in the kitchen she'd been mostly fine - still a little cool towards me - but fine.  I rubbed my thumbs over her knuckles, enjoying the feel of her soft skin and the way she curled her hands into mine.

"Yeah,"  she said, looking over at Sadie briefly before looking back to me. "I'll try to follow your lead but I dance better when I've had a couple drinks."

"Less overthinking that way?"

"Pretty much," she said with a small smile as the music started.

Sadie had picked out a couple songs that would use this style of dancing for us to practice to while we'd waited for them to get here. I smiled as Megan sang along with the first song and put a little attitude into her moves. It was one I'd heard many times because it was one of Isaac's favorites - _Cruise_ by Florida Georgia Line. It was also clearly a favorite of hers, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that she had an excellent singing voice.

She had to stop singing as the steps got more complicated but she effortlessly followed my lead, letting me twirl and flip her several times throughout the course of the song. Sadie and Sebastian stayed to the safer moves – Sadie still didn't like it when her feet left the ground and she wasn't in control.

"Round two?" I asked when the song ended and the next one started - _Fall Into Me_ by Emerson Drive. This one had a better beat for me to follow, more constant throughout.

She nodded, adjusting her ponytail. "I'm ready when you are. Don't hesitate going into the third flip this time, okay?"

"I'll try not to. I thought I overdid it and you were going to fall that time." She was so light I'd overdid it when I'd boosted her momentum between flips, almost throwing her too hard.

"No, I was okay. If nothing else I would still have landed on my feet, and I'm not wearing heels right now, so I would have been fine."

We went through the steps again, laughing when she tripped over my living room rug and ended up in my arms again.

"I'm keeping track of what you owe me," I teased as I set her upright even though I just wanted to hold her closer instead. "Just because the song says to 'fall into me' doesn't mean you have to - not that I'm complaining or anything."

"It's not like I can help it," she grumbled. "Your rugs hate me. They're out to get me or something."

"Still gonna cost you," I teased, taking her hands and going back to the start of the sequence again but she didn't follow right away, resisting my tug at her hands.

"How about I make you cookies instead?" she asked, her expression troubled. "I'd rather not get between you and Scarlett."

"I'm not dating Scarlett anymore," I said, confused at her sudden jump of subjects.

"Looked like it to me Friday – and I'm not that kind of girl – the one who makes problems for couples."

"Scarlett and I called it quits a few weeks ago; we're just back to being friends again."

She looked at me skeptically. "I'll believe it when I hear it from Scarlett. You don't dance like that with friends – unless you're friends with benefits. I'm going to get a drink of water," she said, walking to the kitchen abruptly. Sadie caught my arm when I went to follow her, having caught the end of the exchange.

"Give her a moment, Chris," Sadie said. "Like I said, out of practice."

I sighed and pulled out my phone to text Scarlett, more frustrated than I wanted to admit that Megan wouldn't take my word for it. I wanted to beat Andy even more for messing with her than I did before because if she thought I wasn't capable of staying with one woman, she wasn't going to have anything to do with me. I watched Sadie and Sebastian for a little bit, wondering what was taking Megan so long. She was talking on the phone, gesturing angrily as she talked in a low voice.

"No. I don't ever want to talk to you again. You made your bed – now lie in it." She ended the call, setting her phone on the counter with a loud click. She set both hands on the counter and just stared straight ahead looking so sad I wanted to just give her a big hug.

"Are you okay?"

"No, and there's nothing you can do about it, Chris. Thanks for asking, though."

I leaned on the counter next to her and crossed my arms. "Sometimes I miss being able to slam the phone down in the receiver to cut someone off. Violently hitting the 'end call' button just doesn't do it for me like that did."

"I know, right?" she said thickly, deliberately letting her long bright hair fall forward to hide her face from me; she'd taken her ponytail out and wore the elastic on her wrist.

Without thinking, I reached forward and gently moved her hair back so I could see her face again, even if it was just in profile. My fingers skimmed her cheek as her eyes met mine.

"You don't need to hide from me," I said quietly. She shifted her face slightly away from me but I could still see the tears that were silently sliding down her cheek. "Come here."

I gently took her hand and pulled her into my arms, careful to not touch her back. Sebastian had warned me it was worse than he'd thought and I didn't want to hurt her any further. She tried to stay stiff in my arms but within a minute she was melting into my warmth and had leaned her head on my chest, right over my heart. She jumped when her phone rang again but didn't move to answer it. I grabbed it off the counter and saw that the screen only listed a number, not a name.

"Hello," I said flatly. If my guess was right, this was probably Andy trying to get back in her good graces. "Who is this?"

**Meggy?**

"There's no one by that name at this number." Megan didn't like nicknames – I was pretty sure she didn't like to be called Meggy either.

**Is Megan Jones there?**

"Who's asking?"

**Andy. I'm her boyfriend.**

His lie pissed me off instantly and my voice became sterner, more authoritative. "No you're not and there's no way in hell you have the right to talk to her after what you did to her. If you ever call her again, I will call my lawyers and help her get a no contact restraining order against you."

**Tell her I'm sorry and I love her.**

"I won't do that. She said she doesn't want to talk to you. It's over – don't call again." I ended the call, setting the phone down. "Does he really call you _Meggy_?"

"Mostly when he's drunk or stoned," she growled. "I hate that nickname."

"I thought so. So far you tolerate Cinnamini and what's Seb call you? Rosa?"

"Roşu. Baz said it means 'red' in Romanian. It sounds nice when he says it."

"Are you okay now?"

"It was a little weird to hear _Steve_ telling him off," she said, not answering my question.

"Sorry, it's my authority voice. Usually works, too."

"I hope so. Were you serious about the lawyers?"

"Yes. Stalking and harassment are both completely unacceptable and when you add in the fact that he's demonstrated physical violence towards you in the past, absolutely. My lawyers would be happy to do something simple for a change. God knows I pay them enough regardless of if I'm using them or not."

"I should do that restraining order," she said, but it was more of a question than a statement. "That was the fourth or fifth time he's called today. He's texted a lot, too. Mostly from other people's phones because I blocked his number on mine."

"Definitely yes if he's been that stalker-ish. If not for you for Sadie. You're going to be with her most of the time and we need to know you both are safe. If you want, I can make the call and the paperwork can be ready by the time we get back from LA."

She pulled away slightly, searching my eyes before nodding. I brought both hands up to cup her face, wiping the last traces of her tears away before leaning down to kiss her.

"Don't," she breathed when she realized what I was going to do and pulling away from me, her dark green eyes wide as she set a hand on my chest to push me away. "Please don't."

"Why not?" I asked, not understanding where she was coming from.

"Yesterday was a mistake," she said quietly, taking her hand from my chest and crossing her arms. "We both had too much to drink and that shouldn't have happened."

"I kissed you because I wanted to - and you didn't dislike it. Even now, I can see how turned on you are."

Her lips parted in shock and she took another step back from me. "If that's what you want, you better find someone else, Evans. I won't be your side chick."

"What can I say to make you believe me that Scarlett and I are just friends? I don't want you as my 'side chick'- I want you as my only girl."

"I don't want to be anyone's girl - not for a while. I need to get my head screwed on straight again first." She took another step back, the island behind her limiting her options.

"Does that mean you don't want to kiss me?" I asked, stepping closer to her but not touching her. I could smell her - cinnamon and vanilla mixed with the same perfume Sadie wore. From the way her nostrils flared I knew she could smell my cologne.

"No, I don't want to kiss you," she said, not sounding even remotely convincing. The fact that she was a terrible liar made me smile.

"Liar," I said, studying her closely as I called her bluff. "You do. Do you know how I can tell?" She shook her head once, her hair falling into her face. "Your eyes are the first giveaway - letting me know you want me to kiss you. They're so dark right now there's hardly any green ringing your pupils." I reached out and brushed the bangs that had fallen over one eye back, my fingers skimming her cheek lightly. "Your pulse speeds up when I touch you, Megan. Did you know I can see how fast it is right here?"

I touched the hollow of her throat, feeling her breath hitch at the caress, her lips parting slightly as she gasped. She was so incredibly responsive to my touch and yet still stubbornly fought the attraction between us, refusing to acknowledge it.

I slowly tipped her face up as I closed the distance, leaning down to gently cover her lips with mine, satisfied when her eyes fluttered closed and she brought her hand back up, tentatively resting it on my chest. I was aware of the tension in her small frame yet, so I kept this kiss short and sweet, leaving us both wanting more.

*    *

"Hey Scarlett. How was lunch?"

 **Enlightening** , she said, amusement foremost in her tone. **You do realize that once she finally believed me that we were through, we had to debunk another one of her crazy ideas. Megan thought you were with Sadie now.**

"What was her explanation for Sebastian?" I asked, more than a little confused myself.

**She thought you three had some strange kind of poly relationship. Why else would you both treat Sadie like your girlfriend and all sleep together? You cockblocked yourself there.**

"Fuck! Where does she come up with these crazy ideas?"

I could hear the smile in Scarlett's voice as she enjoyed tormenting me. **She was very non-judgmental, actually. She was more concerned that she was getting in the way or doing something she shouldn't. She even told Sadie that you'd kissed and it was okay if she wanted to fire her.**

"Shit - I don't even know what to say to that, Scar. Please tell me the two of you got her straightened out?"

**You're welcome. She's very sweet - and a little naïve at times. I'm almost positive she's a virgin.**

"Somehow that wouldn't surprise me," I groaned. I was already in need of a cold shower after that kiss and the thought of her being a virgin had me achingly hard in seconds. 

**Ready for Ellen?**

"Yeah, I think so. I've got the DVR set to record and we've got to be at La Guardia by 5 am."

**Better you than me. I hate those fast turnarounds.**

"I know you do. So there shouldn't be any miscommunications on our part?"

**Chris, if you have issues after this it's because you fucked up - so don't fuck it up. I like her.**

"What about Tom? Did she say anything about him?"

Scarlett snorted. **Nothing bad - does anyone ever say anything bad about Tom?**

"No," I agreed. "They don't."

**She said that he's been really nice and they talk a lot. She was really pleased that he brought her flowers when he came to visit. I kind of got that her ex really didn't do anything romantic for her.**

"Oh," I said, surprised. "I suppose I better step up my game then." I was expecting Scarlett to agree, but she didn't say anything right away, only letting out a heartfelt sigh.

**Look, I know you like her, but you're going to have to prove to her you're not like every other guy she's dated. Even if she was ready for a new relationship, she doesn't see you as an option.**

"I don't – I mean, I'm not -"

**Take a breath, Chris. I'm not saying she doesn't like you - she does - Sadie and I both agree on that; but take it slow with her. Her asshole ex did a number on her - and not just physically. She didn't come out and say it, but from what we could tell, she really doesn't believe that you're interested in a real relationship.**

I blew out a deep breath, increasingly pissed at Megan's ex. I wished I could beat the shit out of him, but I couldn't.

**At least you know you've got time with her and - she'll be staying at your house for a couple weeks. I'm sure you can manage some alone time or maybe even a casual date.**

"What if she says no?" I asked quietly. Granted it didn't happen often, but Megan wasn't the kind of girl I usually took out - and maybe that was a good thing.

**Then you ask in a different way. I'll talk to Sadie, but even if she goes home for a week here and there that doesn't mean Megan has to - she can work from LA just as well as South Dakota. We may have mentioned that Hemsworth, Renner, or Pratt might need a trustworthy babysitter while they're in LA and you should have seen how she lit up.**

I smiled, the knot in my stomach loosening. "Thank you, Scarlett."

**You're welcome, Chris. See you Tuesday.**

* *

I was watching TV in the living room when Sadie got back a little later, talking on the phone as she let herself in. "Okay, Liam - just make sure you get your homework done first and be home at a decent time. Grandma said she'll call you a little later. Love you, bye."

"Liam got a hot date?" I asked, making room for her on the couch and putting my arm around her.

"I don't want to think about it. Yes - he's taking a girl to dinner and a movie tonight - no school tomorrow, I guess."

"Holiday?"

"Teacher in-service."

We sat in companionable silence for a while longer before Sadie finally began to talk. "Do we have a weird relationship?"

"Where's this coming from?"

"Lunch today. Scarlett was asking Megan why she wasn't trying to get with you -"

I choked at her phrasing. "She didn't say it like that, did she?"

"No, I'm paraphrasing."

"Thank god. You had me worried for a moment. You know she'd say something like that."

"Yeah, I do. Anyway, so she casually questioning Megan and it came up that she thought that you, I and Sebastian had some kind of casual polygamous relationship or something."

"I'm cool with threesomes," I said, lying through my teeth. Maybe 10 or 15 years ago I was, but not anymore.

Sadie gave me a look and called my bluff. "No you're not."

"No, I'm really not," I admitted. "It sounded fun though."

"BDSM sounds fun -"

"Sadie!" I yelped, flushing as images came to mind that weren't going to go away anytime soon. My pants were uncomfortably tight again and I shifted uncomfortably, trying not to be obvious about what I was doing.

"But you won't see me getting into it," Sadie finished. "Be serious."

"You can't just _say_ shit like that with that little smirk on your face. Fuck!"

She snapped her fingers at me, focusing my eyes on hers. "Mind out of the gutter."

"It's your fault it's there in the first place," I groaned, resting my head on the back of the couch.

"You've got a hand and know how to use it."

"Shit like this is what gets us in trouble, you know. Anyone listening to us right now would think you like teasing me like this," I griped, knowing she was just in an odd mood.

"Sometimes I do," she said, kissing my cheek. I turned to look at her, meeting her golden brown eyes, "Sorry babe. I don't know what got into me tonight."

I sighed heavily, reaching up to stroke her cheek and smiling when she leaned into the caress. "Seriously, though; she sees us at our most relaxed, doll. We both hug you and kiss you and think nothing of it. Does it bother you?"

"If I'm selfishly keeping you from having a relationship of your own, then yes. Am I?"

"No. The only girl I actually feel something for doesn't want me."

"Only because she doesn't think you want anything other than sex. Give her time to get to know the real you and she'll come around. Maybe I should stay with Scarlett the next time I come to town."

"No," I said, abruptly pulling her onto my lap and putting my arms around her tightly, burying my face in her neck.

"Chris-" she protested, tugging on my hair to get me to look at her. I tightened my hold on her in response.

"No, just no. You stay with me or Seb, Sadie. We know how you get; Scarlett doesn't." I felt her swallow hard and cut her off before she could come up with a response to that. "I promised I'd take care of you and that means I won't let you drug yourself to sleep all the time, doll. It isn't good for you to do that - not when there are other options. I don't mind being your foot warmer, Sadie."

I felt the shuddery breath she took even more than I heard it. "God, I'm such a mess...Why do you put up with me?"

I chuckled mirthlessly. "You think I'm any better? I don't know what's going to happen when you decide that you're ready for a real relationship with Seb and don't stay with me anymore. We might have to work out a sharing system."

"That's a ways away yet - and maybe it won't be so bad if you have someone of your own to worry about instead of just me."

"It's my job to worry about you; it's in my contract."

"That's my line," she said, kissing my temple. "Get your own catchphrase."

"Make me," I said, rubbing my beard against her skin just to make her struggle to get away, intent on making her laugh again since I'd made her sad.


	11. Evening Out

Chris' POV

As we stood in the wings, waiting for Ellen to announce us, I felt the familiar surge of adrenaline as my heartrate quickened in anticipation. This was nothing new for Seb, Sadie and me, but I was still anxious anyway. Megan was beside me, almost visibly trembling with stage fright.

I put my arm around her shoulders and leaned down to whisper in her ear letting my Boston accent really come out because I knew she liked it. "It'll be okay. Think of her as that nosy aunt that always hasta know what everyone's doin all the freaking time."

She gave me a tremulous smile and nodded, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Seb and Sadie were going first because Ellen wanted to spend a little bit of time talking about their relationship and most likely Seb's Instagram posts.

"And now we have my favorite movie couple, Sebastian Stan and Sadie Wilson, who play Bucky Barnes and Evelyn in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I ship Bucklyn so hard I know I can't wait for my next fix. I'm like a junkie for this kind of relationship - it's horrible."

"It's good to be back here again, Ellen," Sebastian said, kissing her hand with a crooked grin.

"Yes – this is much so much better than the last time I was here," Sadie said with a smile, hugging Ellen before taking a seat next to Sebastian.

"The last time I had you both together on my show was right after the shooting in Munich."

"Yes, it was," Sebastian said, nodding and putting his arm behind Sadie, laying it across the back of the couch to angle himself towards her a little more.

"Sadie, since then you've become a household name and are currently working on your third Marvel movie, is that right?"

"It is. We're in the early production phase of this one. I can't tell you the title yet because Marvel hasn't officially released it, but I can say we're going to see a lot more of Bucky and Evelyn in this one, along with a scruffy Steve."

"Sacrilege! A _bearded_ Steve Rogers?" Ellen raised her eyebrows at that one, making me smile.

"I feel the same way – it's a sin to hide that jawline, isn't it, Ellen?" Sadie said with a smirk, getting a loud affirmation from the crowd.

"Speaking of Steve Rogers, we have Chris Evans here today as well." I waved to the crowd and I went to give Ellen a hug, picking her up off the ground and making her laugh.

"Boy, you really do sweep women off their feet! If I wasn't happily married, Chris, I tell ya."

"It's good to see you too, Ellen," I said, setting her down carefully. "Thanks for having me."

She reached up to pat my cheek. "Always a charmer." I sat down on the other side of Sadie, waiting for Ellen to continue. "Sebastian, I was checking out your Instagram the other day and happened to find this beauty. Mind telling us what this picture's about?" She indicated the picture of our abs that Megan had posted as the audience went wild. Ellen's audiences were always loud, but this was even louder than normal.

Sebastian gave Ellen his signature smirk. "I could, but it's much more amusing coming from my new roommate, Megan Jones. She's the one who took the picture to begin with."

"Let's meet her then." That was Megan's cue and she walked out from the side of the stage, smiling and waving at the audience to applause. She clasped hands with Ellen briefly before coming to sit down next to me, the four of us tight on the couch.

"Megan, what can you tell me about this picture?"

Megan brushed her hair back nervously. "Well, Ellen - thanks for having me - and to give you a little background, this all started because Chris and Sebastian wanted to know who had the nicer abs and Sadie and I refused to answer."

"I know better than to answer that," Sadie put in with a smile, getting a laugh from the audience as she patted both of our knees. "That's like when my boys ask who's my favorite kid - I can't answer that."

"Doll, if you'd just tell us we'd quit bugging you," Sebastian promised, taking her hand in his. Ellen's eyes lit up when she saw that but didn't say anything.

"I think we should know, doll. You have to pick one of us." I said, teasing Sadie before turning to Megan and giving her a nice smile. "You too, Megan."

She shook her head, fighting laughter. "No dice, Evans." She turned back to Ellen. "So I haven't known them very long but I've learned that they're a _little_ competitive – "

"Just a little?" Ellen scoffed, "Not these two!"

"And I didn't want to start anything."

"Okay, you're new so I'll give you that," Ellen said. "Exactly how long have you known Chris and Sebastian?"

"Just a week now. So as a way of keeping the peace, I said I'd put it on my Instagram and we'd see how people voted. I didn't realize that tagging both of them would cause so much trouble..."

"So you're the reason Instagram crashed on Friday," Ellen said, wagging her finger at me and Sebastian. We gave her our best grins and acted innocent, which the audience loved.

"Very unintentionally," Megan said, flushing. "Sorry Instagram. I didn't mean to break you - I won't do it again, I promise."

"Don't go making promises you can't keep," Ellen laughed. "Well, I have the poll results from the 24 hours you had it up – thank goodness for those tech people – and we continued your poll on my page until this morning, ending up with 3.65 million and change for total votes. Here are the results."

Ellen gestured to the screen and we could see that I was ahead by only 10%.

"Yeah!" I cheered, clapping. "Told you mine were better, punk."

"Surprisingly you were pretty close. I think we should put it to a vote here in our audience. For those of you who don't know, Chris has all the ink. Take a good look and then with a show of bodies, stand up if you like Chris' abs better."

I stood up and showboated a little bit, hamming it up for the audience. From what I could tell, I had a clear majority.

"All right, all right. Now if you like Sebastian's abs better, stand up." I laughed, grabbing my pec as Sebastian worked the crowd like I had, making Ellen happy. She always said she liked it when we did stuff like this, even if we felt dumb doing it. People watched her show to be entertained and we aimed to please.

*       *    *

Megan's POV

"Well guys, I think we have a winner...Chris Evans!" Ellen said, applauding.

Chris whooped and pulled me to my feet, smiling as he kissed my cheek, making me flush warmly. "Couldn't have done it without you," he teased, taking a bow. We sat back down and the audience quieted.

"Now if you haven't checked out Sebastian's Instagram lately you've missed the latest and funniest posts yet. Megan, I understand you've moved in with Sebastian and you started something called the Roomie Chronicles?"

"Yes, I never intended for it to turn into a competition -" I started to say, only to have Ellen cut me off.

"But then Sebastian posted this picture of you. What are you doing on the counter anyways?"

"Well, a friend stopped by and brought me flowers so I was trying to find a vase to put them in."

"And she was too stubborn to just _ask_ me-" Sebastian said, rolling his eyes.

I made a noise of exasperation, causing Chris to laugh. "You were unavailable, so I was just going to search until I found them."

"Didn't stop Tom from asking," Sebastian said, reaching over Sadie and poking Megan's knee.

"Tom who?" Ellen asked, perking up and getting our attention again.

"Tom Hiddleston," I said, flushing again as the audience cheered.

"He's the one who sent me the picture in the first place," Sebastian said with a smirk. "Asking if I could _please_ tell Megan where they were at. Tom's very polite."

"I told Tom I'd find them – I'm a little vertically challenged -"

"Yes you are-" Sebastian said, grinning as I glared at him before turning back to Ellen.

"In a place designed for a large man," I gestured at Sebastian, "I couldn't see what was in the upper cabinets so I climbed on the counter-"

"Giving Tom a heart attack."

I crossed my arms. "I did no such thing! And I _found_ the vases-"

"Because I told you where they were!" Sebastian exclaimed, rolling his eyes.

"You also told me to get off the counter," I pointed out. "By having Tom tell me."

"And that's how this all got started," Sebastian said, catching my eye and smiling. I breathed a sigh of relief that it had went off exactly like we'd planned. "I posted that picture, so technically it's my fault this time."

Ellen was in stitches at this point and she was almost crying she was laughing so hard. Sadie and Chris just shared a look and rolled their eyes at us, but they were smiling too. Luckily a commercial break was put in then to give everyone time to recover.

Ellen was still laughing when the break ended. "Oh, my. That was great – Megan – thank you so much for moving in with Sebastian. I think I speak for everyone here when I say we look forward to seeing _more_ of the Roomie Chronicles." She had to pause while the audience erupted in applause, making me flush yet again. "Here's what's been posted so far," Ellen said as she gestured at the screen and we saw several more pictures flashed across the screen including the ones from yesterday morning and ending with the video Lizzie had made of us all dancing.

"Now I've never seen this kind of dancing outside of a movie, so first of all what is this called?"

"Well, Ellen," Sadie said, "Back home in South Dakota, we call it a jitterbug but Chris says it's more of a country swing dance than a true jitterbug. You can do this to just about any faster paced song and it's really popular at the dances back home. I brought the guys with me to one of my younger cousin's wedding dances and the men in my family taught them how it's done."

"It looks like a lot of fun but both partners have to know what they're doing, right?"

"Absolutely," Sadie said, nodding. "I'm not that adventurous, so the more basic version is what you saw me doing with Sebastian. Megan, on the other hand, is up for the challenge so Chris was an excellent partner for her."

"Megan, where are you originally from?"

"Colorado Springs, Colorado. We do this same kind of dance there, too."

"So Chris, how did you know Megan knew how to dance like this?"

"I didn't until right then. Elizabeth Olsen, our videographer, actually missed filming the first part of the dance. Originally Sadie and Megan were going to leave us out, but Seb and I weren't going to let them. What's the fun in that?"

"Indeed; so you cut in?" Ellen prodded.

"Exactly – now two women dancing this together have to determine who's leading and who's following. The traditional 'male' side leads and it's a little more demanding."

"Would you agree with that, Sadie?"

"Yes – the way that Chris dances, it is. He's all or nothing, you know – which Megan found out the hard way."

"Oh – so you didn't know what you were getting into that night?"

"No, I didn't," I said, looking at Chris who shrugged and smiled. "But I'm used to following my partner's lead, so I just went with it. This kind of dancing is really fun when you have the right partner."

"I understood that reference," Chris said, shooting a hand in the air and making Ellen laugh at his expression. "And I'll agree with that statement because both of you have to know what to do."

"So why don't you guys show us how it's done?" Ellen asked with a wide grin.

I looked over at Sadie who understood what I wanted from her.

"Sebastian and I will show you the basics first, Ellen," Sadie said, giving her a smile. "Then we'll let Chris and Megan show you a more advanced version if you want to give that a try as well."

"Yes, basics are good," Ellen agreed. We all stood up so the furniture could be moved back.  "Sadie sent me a playlist that this kind of dance is done to, so let's cue the music guys!"

Sebastian  smoothly started moving Sadie the basic steps while Chris explained to Ellen what they were doing.  After watching for a little bit, he started to slowly walk her through them.

"I like this -  I think I've got this part down, so let's see how you and Megan do this, Captain." Ellen let go of him and moved back out of the way, looking over at me. I walked over to them.

"I like it when you call me that, ma'am," Chris said, giving Ellen a big smile. He took my hands, smiling down at me, his blue eyes sparkling. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," I said with a grin and we whirled our way through the steps we'd practiced yesterday, starting with the basics and quickly moving our way into the more advanced flips and spins. 

"Now that's dancing," Ellen exclaimed as her audience went wild and she laughed in delight. "Wait until Portia sees this!"

"Are you ready to give it a try, Ellen?" We heard Sebastian ask. "I don't know all of those but I know most of them."

"Sadie, do you mind if I cut in?"

"He's all yours, Ellen – as long as you promise to give him back eventually."

At the end of the second song Ellen called it quits and the music stopped. Chris whooped and tossed me into the air, catching me by the hips before setting me back down on my feet. I gave him a quick smile and let go of him, aware of the fact that we were on national television right now.

"Wowwy – now that's a workout!" Ellen said. "And you two aren't even breathing hard!"

"Lot's of practice – at a typical dance you'd be going pretty much all night," I said, patting his arm lightly. "Plus, Chris is just in really good shape."

"I couldn't tell that - not one little bit the way he was tossing you around. I think I'd have to stay with Sadie on this one - I'm not sure I'm that adventurous of a dancer, Chris. We'll be right back after this word from our sponsors."

"Thanks for coming, guys - especially on such short notice. That was great!"

"You're welcome, Ellen," Chris said warmly and I nodded, letting him escort me off the stage.

*      *

I pulled on a light gray sweater over my tea length dress and looked at myself in the mirror, satisfied at what I was seeing. Tom had said we were going to a show after dinner and it was usually chilly inside so to bring a wrap.       

"Ready?" Sebastian said, leaning on the doorjamb of my open door, making me look over at him. He had on a light blue-gray sweater and dress pants but somehow still managed to make it look like he'd just left a photo shoot.

"Yeah. You look nice, Baz." I opened my clutch and shoved a lipstick in it before grabbing my phone.

"Thanks. You look beautiful tonight, Roşu. Want me to take a picture of you?"

"Sure," I said, handing him my phone. "This is Em's favorite dress and I don't think I've ever taken a picture of myself in it."

"Lean forward a smidge to look in the mirror and fiddle with your right earring," he said. "Slight smile," he clarified. "Don't look at me. Pretend I'm not here." I did as he asked, feeling a little silly but he clearly had a certain look in mind, which was different but still fun. "Perfect – all done."

I took the phone back and looked at the photos he'd taken. "You know your way around a camera, Baz. This is great!"

I gave him a quick side hug before grabbing my shoes from beside the dresser and following him to the front door. I slipped on my shoes, resting one hand on his forearm to steady myself. I let go as soon as I was stable again and waited for him to lock up.

"I've spent enough time in front of them, that's for sure. Maybe someday I'll try directing or something."

"Really? What kind of directing?"

"Movie or made for TV movie, kind of like Chris did a while back." We got in our Uber and Sebastian told the driver where we were going. "I stopped by when he was doing it and it got me to thinking."

"Hmm," I said, "So you're going to be the next Mel Gibson?"

"Why not? You don't think I could do it?"

"No, I think you could – I just have a hard time seeing you as Joe or Anthony. Your personality is just so different from theirs, you know. So change of subject – not that I'm complaining, but why am I going along tonight?"

"I wanted to take Sadie out but she's concerned about the kind of attention we'd receive if we went alone, so I asked Tom if he wanted to come along tonight. You were his choice."

"Oh," was all I could say to that.

I sat back in my seat and considered that. I liked Tom a lot, but I wasn't sure if I liked him as more than a friend, plus I wasn't ready to be in a relationship again. We were leaving tomorrow and it might be a couple weeks before I saw him again, depending on when he'd have to come to LA.

"Don't overthink it, Roşu," Sebastian said, taking my hand in his and playing with my fingers. He was always so surprised at how small my hands were next to his. "I know that look."

I stuck my tongue out at him, making him chuckle. "This look?"

"That one too. We're just going out with friends tonight, okay?" he said reassuringly.

"Yeah. So what are we going to see?" I took my hand back, feeling better about this already. Dinner and a show with friends I could handle.

"I actually don't know – I left that up to Tom since he's already seen a lot of the shows already."

I posted the picture Sebastian had taken of me and gave him photo credit. "I still think this looks like the pictures you see in the magazines."

"It helps that you're very photogenic," he said, pulling out his phone as it chimed.

 *       *

Tom smiled down at me as he escorted me to our table. "You look beautiful tonight, Megan."

"Thanks, Tom. You clean up pretty well yourself," I replied, running my hand over his arm. "This sweater is so soft I could just pet you all night. Wait, did I say that out loud? You weren't supposed to hear that."

"You did," he laughed and gave me a wink. "I certainly wouldn't complain if you did. I've never worn this one before but it's very comfortable." He covered my hand with his own as I moved to pull away from him, keeping it where it was at on his arm.

"It brings out your eyes – they look bluer today. They looked more green Saturday."

"I think it depends on what colors I'm wearing. When we're doing a lot of green-screen work I'm told they look more green as well." He held my chair for me so I could be seated, pushing it in at just the right moment. There was something to be said for a gentleman, I decided. I wasn't used to any of this.

I looked over to see Sadie smiling at me approvingly. "I really love your dress, Megan. I was just telling Sebastian how much I liked the picture he took of you getting ready."

"Yes, it was almost as if we were right there outside Megan's door the way the camera captured it all. You certainly have a talent, Seb."

"Some days, yeah," he said, taking a drink of water. "Other days you'd swear I've never taken a picture before in my life." His smile turned smug as we laughed.

"I think that every time I take a selfie," I said with a grin. "Why does it take ten pictures to get one of me not blinking when _I'm_ the one taking the picture?" We laughed and then the waiter came to take our drink orders.

*       *

"So what is this show called?" I asked Tom as we walked out of the restaurant. Dinner had been excellent and we'd had a great time as a group.

"I'm not telling – you'll just have to be surprised," Tom said as he opened the door for me to get in the car, waiting until I was in to shut the door before he got in the front seat.

"I'm not a huge fan of surprises," I said. "Just warning you."

"Me either," Sadie said from beside me. "Not that I don't trust you guys – I just hate surprises."

"Did you have brothers that liked to jump out from places and scare you too?" I asked.

"Yes," Sadie said, shuddering. "My baby brother still likes to do that and he's your age. Now he's got my boys doing it too."

"Are you warning me that they'll do that to me tomorrow?"

"Maybe not tomorrow because we'll be getting there close to their bedtime, but anytime after that wouldn't surprise me."

"Baz, is that true?" I asked, looking over at him.

He shrugged. "Unfortunately. They learned not to do that to me after I almost punched Liam. I've done so much fight training that it's not a good idea to try to sneak up on me. Ask Chris – I flipped him today when the punk tried to be cute and rush me from behind."

I smiled, wishing I'd seen it for myself. I'd been on the phone setting up an interview for Sadie and by the time I got back to set it was over and I'd missed it.

"Serves him right," Sadie said. "It's about time that happens to him again. Remember when he scared Lizzie yesterday?"

"She was laughing her ass off as he was laying on the floor," Sebastian said with a laugh. "I knocked the wind out of him good."

I looked out the window at all the brightly lit signs, wondering what show we were going to see. I'd never had time to go see one yet and Andy hadn't been into that kind of thing, preferring to go to a movie if we were going on a date. Tom gave directions to the driver and a little bit later he pulled up to let us out. Tom opened my door and took my hand to help me out before doing the same for Sadie.

"Hamilton?" I asked, sliding my hand into the crook of Tom's elbow. "I've heard a lot of good things about this one."

"They're all true," he said with a smile. He led us in and we were ushered over to the side. An attendant led us to a private box, one of several on the second level. "This is one of the best seats in the house."

"This is so cool," I said, going to the edge and looking out over the crowd. "I suppose this way you can watch without distractions."

"Yes," Tom said, coming up beside me. "Lately it's just been better to get box seats - I'm too recognizable. With Seb and Sadie being along tonight as well, this was the best option."

"Yeah, the fangirls have been bad again lately," I grimaced. "They've started to recognize me, too - which is really weird when strangers know your name. Wow, it's warmer in here than I thought it would be." I moved to take my sweater off and Tom slid it from my shoulders, his hands lightly brushing down my arms, giving me goosebumps.

"These look much better than the last time I saw them," Tom said quietly, his eyes indicating the lightening marks on my arms. I flushed self consciously and took my sweater from him. I looked over to see Sadie and Sebastian talking quietly, their hands linked together. I pulled out my phone and took a couple pictures of them - not to post, just for Sebastian to have. Their relationship wasn't public property - they deserved to have a normal date like everyone else.

"Will you take a selfie with me?" I asked Tom, handing him my phone. He nodded, a slight smile curving his lips. "You have longer arms, so you get to take the picture." That made him laugh, getting Sadie's attention.

"I'll take the picture," she said, taking the phone from Tom. He put his arm around me and pulled me close, one hand on my hip. His body warmth seeped through the fabric, and I let myself lean into him, smiling at Sadie. She took a couple before handing my phone back. "You look adorable together," she murmured so only I could hear. "Look at the first one I took."

I decided to do that later, when I was alone tonight. I had the feeling it was a more intimate picture than I'd intended to take.

The lights started to dim so we all settled into our seats. I bounced my knee excitedly for a moment until Tom reached out a hand, setting it on my knee. "Sorry - I'm just so excited - I've never seen a real show before."

"I can tell, darling," he said with a chuckle. "I find your excitement refreshing." I stroked Tom's arm absently as I looked around until I noticed what I was doing and moved my hand off his arm.

"Sorry," I said, flushing. "You're not my cat - but your sweater is really soft."

He caught my hand in his and smiled down at me. "You can continue, darling. It doesn't bother me," he lowered his voice so only I could hear him. "Quite the opposite, in fact."

I decided to change the subject, leaving my hand in his for the moment. I'd forgotten how nice it was just to hold someone's hand when my fingers were cold. "Thank you for asking me to come with tonight, Tom."

"You're very welcome. I was pleased that you accepted; I wasn't sure if you would since you found me to be so boring Saturday," he teased, winking at me.

"You're not boring, Tom. It was just a really long day; will it help if I promise not to fall asleep on you tonight?" I teased as I met his beautiful blue eyes, which was a mistake. Tom had very expressive eyes and I found myself getting lost in them for a long moment, forgetting what I was going to say.

The orchestra starting the first song brought our attention to the stage and I was absorbed in the action.

* *

"We're going to walk around a little bit during intermission," Sadie said, standing up and stretching. "I'm starting to get a little stiff from all the fight training today."

"Sounds good," I said, taking my hand from Tom's. "I'm going to stay put and people watch." I smiled at Sadie. "It's one of my favorite things to do."

"Megan?" Tom asked after a minute. I looked over at him when he didn't continue right away. I touched his arm lightly to get his attention.

"Yes, Tom? Penny for your thoughts?"

He took my hand in his, lacing his fingers with mine. "I was wondering if I might call you occasionally while you're out of town, darling?"

"Sure," I said in surprise. "You can call me anytime, Tom; I like talking to you."

"I enjoy our conversations as well and it has been delightful, getting to know you. You aren't at all what I expected."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Definitely good," he said, cupping my face and I suddenly knew he was going to kiss me...and I wanted him to. I tilted my face up slightly in anticipation, my eyes closing as his warm lips covered mine gently. All conscious thought went out the window other than one: dear God, this man knew how to _kiss_. I brought one hand up to touch his face, leaning into him and just enjoying the experience.

We were breathless when he finally pulled back - not a minute too soon - before the door opened, letting Sadie and Sebastian back in. They were laughing and talking animatedly, giving me enough time to recover my scattered wits.

"See anyone you knew?" I asked.

"No, the fangirls found us, so we had to retreat," Sebastian said sheepishly.

"Oh, no!" I exclaimed. "They didn't follow you, did they?"

"Sadie saved me," he said unabashedly, giving me a look that made me think he knew we'd been kissing. "And no, the security guard for the private boxes called in backup. He said they were prepared for something like this and they'll escort us out after the performance is over."

I looked out over the audience and saw there were a large number of people interested in our box but they couldn't see in unless we leaned out over the edge, which was reassuring. I never knew how crazy things would get when I went out with Sebastian. Sadie could still blend into the crowd, but not him - not very often, at least.

*          *

The ride home from the theater was quiet. Tom had offered to drop Sadie off on the way to his hotel and Sebastian had agreed. I stared out the window, not really seeing the city lights; I certainly had plenty to think about. I didn't even notice when the car stopped to let us out at the apartment; Sebastian squeezed my knee lightly to get my attention. His amused expression told me he had probably been trying to get my attention for a little bit already. I stepped out of the car and walked over to punch in my access code, opening the door while Sebastian paid the driver.

"Did you have a nice night?" Sebastian asked when we got inside his building, linking my arm with his.

"I did. How about you? Sadie looked like she was enjoying herself with you." I pulled out my phone and showed him the pictures I'd taken earlier at the theatre.

"Yeah, it was a good night - other than the fangirl incident," he said with a smile. "When did you take these?"

"Right before Sadie took my picture with Tom when we first got to the box. I really like how they turned out."

"Did you post them?" he asked, opening his front door and holding it for me.

I gave him an affronted look. "No. They're just for you and Sadie." I brushed past him, hurt that he thought I'd put something up that would make Sadie upset.

He caught my hand, stopping me as he shut the door. "I'm sorry, Roşu. My mouth got ahead of my brain."

I pulled my hand back. "It'd be different if you were officially dating – then I would've - but you're not, so I won't. Night, Baz."

I quickly slipped off my shoes and walked down the hallway to my bedroom, setting my shoes and clutch inside and grabbing my robe before heading to the bathroom. I stripped, putting my clothes in the hamper before getting into the shower, washing off my make up and getting the product out of my hair.

I found myself thinking about Chris and Tom, deciding that I'd just see where things went for now. I still wasn't sure what to think about Chris; he'd kissed me several more times since Sunday, and each time was even better. I still wasn't convinced that Chris would be a good choice right now, but my biggest concern was that I was too attracted to both of them to think clearly.

Chris had texted me on the way home but I hadn't responded, mostly because I didn't know what I wanted to say to him. We were leaving town tomorrow and I wouldn't see him for two weeks.

Sebastian was in the kitchen looking at his phone when I went to get myself a drink of water before bed. Something about his posture convinced me he'd been waiting for me, so I got a glass out of the cabinet and went over to the fridge to put ice water in it. I liked cold water before bed for some reason.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked right before I left the kitchen, setting his phone down.

I paused and turned back to him. "No. I get why you asked. I just thought you knew me better now. This isn't like the other day when we were goofing around and it only affected us."

"I do, and I'm glad you understand why I was concerned. Thanks for coming with tonight; Sadie was happy you both were there and that show was really something else."

"Yeah, I loved the show – I'm really glad we got to see it before we left town."

"And Tom?" Sebastian handed me his phone and I looked down to see a picture of me leaning on Tom, his arm around me as we watched the second half of the show. "I sent it to you both...he really likes you."

"I don't know what to say," I said as I handed him back his phone. "I mean, I like hanging out with Tom and all and I think he's probably the nicest person I've ever met."

"Do you like Tom as more than just a friend?"

I didn't know what to say to him. Tonight was the first time Tom had kissed me and I'd really enjoyed it. Maybe we'd just stay as friends, maybe we'd be more; I could do a hell of a lot worse than Tom - and had, more than once - I just wasn't sure I was good enough for him, as famous as he was. I wasn't going to say that to my roommate, though; Chris was his best friend and they talked about almost everything. I sighed and gave Sebastian a smile, letting him make of that whatever he wanted.

"Night Baz. See you in a couple weeks?"

"You're not riding with me tomorrow?" he asked in surprise. I knew I'd told him that already but he must have forgotten with everything else that had been going on.

I shook my head. "Can't. Have to do a couple errands before I head to the set so I'll be leaving before you're even up in the morning, but I'll start the coffee for you before I leave," I offered, knowing how much we both loved our coffee. My travel mug fit half a carafe in it at least.

"All right. See you at the set then," he said, giving me a careful hug. Surprised at the gesture, I hugged him back, feeling very small in his large, muscular arms. "Night, kid." 

 


	12. I'll Make It Up To You

Chris' POV

I got home just before Sadie was getting ready to leave. She had her suitcases all packed up and sitting by the door and was making sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

"Did you at least leave your toothbrush so I know you're coming back?" I teased her as I watched her pack her last bag. There was a little spring to her step and I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen her happy like this so early in the morning. Seeing Seb was good for her, I decided.

"Morning, Chris. Yes, I'm leaving my toothbrush and a few other things. Try not to have too much fun while I'm gone, okay?"

I pulled her into my arms, giving her a tight hug and kissing her forehead. "Yes, mom. I'll help you get your stuff to the car and then I'm going to crash. How was your date?"

She put her arms around my neck and hugged me back just as hard. "Thanks, I've got an Uber out front. It was really fun. I hadn't been out with Tom in a long time – I forgot how amusing he can be."

I wanted to ask if Megan had a good time as well, but the words stuck in my throat. Seb had sent me a couple pictures from last night and it hadn't been hard to see that Tom liked her. "The bags by the door ready to go down?"

She let go of me and smiled. "Yeah - thanks, honey. I'll be right behind you. This is the last one."

She wasn't kidding about being right behind me. By the time I got everything loaded, she was there. She gave me another hug and kissed my cheek. "See you in a couple weeks. I'll call you when I get home."

"You better. Tell the boys hi for me."

"Will do. I'm sure they'll be calling to see when you're coming out next."

I forced myself to let go of her and ushered her into the car. "Get going already Sadie. You're going to be late."

I shut the door behind her and waved her off. I hated saying goodbye but at least I'd gotten home in time to see her off. I wished I'd gotten to see Megan this morning, but there was nothing I could do about that.

I walked back into my condo and it suddenly felt so empty. Other than a faint whiff of Sadie's shampoo mingling with traces of her perfume, and maybe a stray coffee cup by the sink, I wouldn't have known she was ever there. I'd teased her that it was always like she was never there when she left – nothing out of place – and it was true.

I took a quick shower to get all the makeup off before drawing the blinds and shades in my bedroom. I collapsed tiredly onto my empty bed, an alarm already set on my phone for tonight's night shoot on location.

 

*            *          *

Megan's POV

I wheeled my suitcase down the sidewalk to Sebastian's trailer, Sadie's dry cleaning over my other arm. I walked up the steps and unlocked it, hanging up the dry cleaning before going back for my suitcase to find it had already been carried up for me by a tall, handsome, dark-haired man in a crazy getup.

"Morning Tom. Thanks for bringing it up for me."

"My pleasure, darling," he said with a smile, giving me a kiss that made me weak in the knees. "Good morning to you as well."

"I like this kind of good morning," I teased, smiling up at him. "Even if you do taste like lipstick."

He laughed. "Sorry, darling; Vi insisted I had to wear it today. If you have a moment, there's someone I'd like you to meet."

"All right. I'm ready if you are," I said, grabbing my phone and leaving everything else here. I followed him out of the trailer, smiling when he tucked my hand into the crook of his arm. "You must start shooting soon if you're all kitted out as Loki."

"Yes, I have a long day ahead of me. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah – I was out like a light," I said with a grin. "How about you?"

"Very well. I had a wonderful time last night."

"I did, too...Thanks for asking me to come with. I have to say it's still crazy seeing you in the whole getup."

"Did you ever finish the second movie?"

"Not yet. I'll watch it from the beginning on the plane since Sadie has them all on her digital collection. So who am I meeting?"

"You'll see," he said with a smirk before shouting, "Brother!"

A huge blond man in another crazy costume immediately turned and strode over to us. "Thor?" I asked Tom, laughing in disbelief. "You want me to meet Thor?"

"Chris said he wanted to meet you before you left," Tom said, patting my hand and covering it with his own. "He just got into town yesterday afternoon so you would have missed him in passing."

I knew Chris Hemsworth was tall, but I was unprepared for how large of a physical presence he had in costume. I told myself I didn't need to be afraid of Chris and fought my intense desire to shrink back from him when he stopped right in front of me. He was easily a full head taller than I was – I don't think I even came up to his shoulders.

"Is this the Midgardian you spoke of, brother?"

"It is. Megan, this is Chris. Chris, Megan Jones."

"Nice to meet you, Chris." I held my right hand out to shake his, and I was pleased to see that it was mostly steady. Chris took it a step further and kissed my hand instead, making me blush.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Megan. Sadie speaks very highly of you." He let go of my hand and smiled, meeting my eyes briefly. He had very bright blue eyes and I couldn't help but think that Marvel certainly hired very good looking actors.

"Thank you; I try. I should get going, though," I said, seeing the director gesturing in our direction. "I think Joe is trying to get your attention."

"When are you leaving?" Tom asked, his eyes a little dimmer.

"This afternoon," I said, slipping my hand from Tom's arm. "We have to be at La Guardia by 4."

"We'll see you in LA?" Chris asked. "My wife and children are going to meet us there in a fortnight."

"Yeah," I said, nodding slightly. "We'll be there." My phone buzzed and I pulled it out of my pocket to see who was calling. "Sadie's calling, so I need to go. Bye." I waved and walked away as I answered the call.

"Hello – Sadie?"

"Megan - sorry – I'm running late; traffic was horrible this morning. Can you take my bags so I can get to makeup? I'll leave them with John."

"On my way," I said. "Go – don't worry about it. I was just wondering where you were when I beat you to set. I'll meet you in makeup to go over your schedule, okay?"

"Great. Thanks, Megan."

"No problem."

I crossed the set and walked quickly to the gate to get Sadie's luggage. "Thanks John. It's going to be a busy day today."

"No problem, Miss Jones. Did you need help?"

"I've got it, John. Thank you, though." I put the two smaller bags on the large suitcase and wheeled it behind me to Sebastian's trailer.

"Need help, Roşu?" Sebastian asked when I carried the two smaller bags into his trailer. He was just getting ready to walk out the door with Mark.

"I got it," I said, setting the bags down where they wouldn't be in the way and waving him off. "You go do your thing, boo. Kick ass and take names, that kind of thing."

They both laughed as they walked out but the suitcase was already sitting on the step when I turned around, Sebastian already out of sight. I shook my head to myself and moved the large suitcase over by mine before heading out to meet Sadie.

"Last day in New York!" I said, doing a happy dance as we walked to set 20 minutes later. "So excited!"

"I can see that. Take a picture with me?" Sadie said, smiling as she sipped her coffee.

"Sure." I pulled my phone out and snapped a quick selfie of us to post. "Did I tell you Tom took me to meet Chris Hemsworth this morning?"

"No. What did you think?"

"I know how small I am – he's like twice my size."

"In full costume, yes, he is actually twice your size. His and Tom's costumes easily weigh around 20 pounds."

"And they're still so cheerful," I said, shaking my head in amazement. "Oh, I forgot to send these to you." I airdropped the photos I'd taken of her and Sebastian last night.

"Those are great, Megan!" She gave me a quick hug. "I'm going to get this one printed out when I get home." She handed me her phone and walked onto the set where everyone else was already talking to Joe and Anthony.

 

*          *           *

Chris' POV

It was Friday night - or Saturday morning - and we had nothing planned...and I didn't want to go home to an empty house, so the guys were meeting at Sebastian's for drinks. It had been after midnight when we'd wrapped; we'd completed the scene to the Russo's satisfaction and they'd let us go a couple hours early since the other set wasn't ready for us yet.

"So how's it been without your roomie?" I asked Sebastian, opening a beer. I was the first one there, having gotten done shooting with second team before they did. He gave me a knowing look as he took the beer I offered him.

"Quiet - not used to it being that quiet around here anymore. If I don't look in the guest room I'd never know she was here in the first place."

"Other than some clothes, Sadie never really leaves much at my place either," I said with a shrug.

"Megan told me I could drink her orange juice since it would go bad before she got back," he laughed. "She won't drink mine since I told her I drink out of the jug."

"Sadie broke me of that habit – mostly," I laughed and took a long pull of my beer. "She still buys a new jug when she comes to stay for longer than a day or two."

"I'm going to have to find one of them folding ladders or something," Sebastian grumbled in an annoyed tone, but I could tell his heart wasn't in it - it was just for show. "I already moved the main dishes to the lowest shelves but Megan can't reach higher than that. Damn girl's always climbing on the fucking countertop."

I laughed and went to get the door. "Hey Bob," I said in surprise. "I thought you weren't coming out tonight."

"I'm not staying out _all_ night with you guys," he said with a smirk. "I just wanted to see how you two were really doing with Sadie and the little firecracker gone. You were both moping earlier today."

"I wasn't moping," I protested, shutting the door behind him. "I was just tired from doing night shoots and then flopping into a day shoot six hours later."

"Uh-huh. That's your story? What about you, Seb?"

"I was totally moping," Sebastian said with a roll of his eyes. " _Of course_ I miss Sadie! I didn't even get to talk to her before she left since we were in the middle of stunt work."

"Yeah, I noticed," Robert said, clapping him on the back and looking around. "Are you sure you have a roommate? I can't tell; everything still looks the same to me."

"I was just telling Chris that other than the guest room, I don't think she even left a hair tie or dirty water glass laying around. It was so weird leaving for the set without her today, like I'd forgotten something. I think I checked my pockets like 10 times for my phone and keys."

"I know," I said, sighing. "I did too." I knew exactly what he meant by that. I always hated it when Sadie left- and now Megan was gone too.

"You two need to cheer up," Robert said, pouring us shots and pushing them in front of us. "They've only been gone a day now. You'll see them in less than two weeks."

*         *

I woke up around 6 am to notifications from my phone. Without opening my eyes I reached for my phone, only to knock it off the damn nightstand. I started to roll over to reach for it only to realize I wasn't alone. _Shit_. I'd brought someone home with me last night. I forced my eyes to focus and was relieved that it was only Shayna, my on again/off again currently ex-girlfriend, not a random girl from the bar.

Maybe I shouldn't have brought her back to my place but I just didn't want to go home alone to my empty house. I untangled myself from the sheet and her limbs and finally found my phone, groaning when I saw the time. I checked to see who I'd just gotten a text from, struggling to unlock my phone, and saw it was from Sadie. I was instantly concerned - she never texted me this early in the morning unless it was important - especially since it was even earlier at her lake house.

Apparently we'd had quite the conversation last night, including two screenshots, one of Shayna and I taking shots and another of us kissing. I groaned to myself – I didn't even remember Shayna _taking_ those pictures last night, let alone sending them to Sadie, but she must have because I never would've sent them to her. Since day one the two women were like oil and water...they didn't mix well...and if it came down to it, I'd choose Sadie in a heartbeat - and Shayna knew it.

**_Call_ **

Shit, I was still drunk I realized when I went to get out of bed. I found a pair of boxers on the floor and put them on before I walked into the kitchen to call Sadie.

"What're you doin' up at this hour, Sadie?" I asked, yawning. "Something wrong?"

"Yes there's something wrong, Christopher Robert Evans! I'm tired, pissed off and not even on my second cup of coffee no thanks to you. Have you checked twitter?"

"Do I want to?"

"Make yourself coffee first," she said flatly. It wasn't good if she was using my full name and _that_ tone. She hardly ever used _that_ voice - even when I made her mad - so I knew right then that I'd fucked up somehow. "I don't even know what to say, Chris," she continued, her voice catching. "I'm so fucking angry at you right now. What the actual fuck? Is this what happens when you go out with out me?"

"No. I just didn't want -" I stopped before I said something stupidly needy.

"You didn't want to go home alone?" Sadie said, her voice mellowing slightly. "Yeah, I kind of got that – _and_ you told me several times last night. How drunk were you?"

"Really _really_ drunk."

"You sound like you're still drunk," she said, singularly unimpressed.

"Yeah, I am," I said, putting coffee on. "I don't even _remember_ coming home."

"Put me on speaker and read what you texted me last night – I can wait."

It took me a moment but I finally figured out how to do that and winced at what I'd written. "I'm so fucking sorry, Sadie," I said when I picked back up the phone. "I know that doesn't make it better, but I'm sorry."

"I know you are," she said, and I could hear how upset she was. "Did you read from the beginning?"

"Working on it," I groaned, scrolling up further. "Did I write a damn book?"

"Pretty much. Robert said he was sure you made it home but he didn't think you went alone. It doesn't bother me that you took someone home but did it have to be _her_?"

"Better her than a random," I rationalized. "Robert called you?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "He was worried when you wouldn't listen to him _or_ Sebastian - and for the record, I'd actually have preferred you took a random girl home over _her_."

I was surprised to hear Sadie say that and I continued scrolling through the long text I'd sent her. "Why?"

"Because a random girl doesn't expect anything from you other than bragging rights. After she leaves in the morning you never have to see her again. Shayna, though, you've got a history of letting her mess with your head." 

"God – how stupid can I be?"

"You've reached that part, huh? Just keep reading - there's more."

I winced as I read on. "Shit! I'm sorry Sadie," I whimpered. "There was no good reason for me to have said any of this. Sorry doll."

"Why don't you come out for the weekend, Chris? It'll be good for you to get out of the city for a while and Liam's got a football game tonight. As long as you leave before 8 you can catch a direct flight here."

She was right - I did need to get out of town, clear my head someplace where I could be myself and not have people watching me and waiting for me to fuck up some more. "I'd been thinking I'd go home for a couple days, but I haven't been to one of Liam's games since the beginning of the season."

"Season's almost over already. You know he'd love it if you came, but it's your choice. Whatever you decide, just call me later and let me know, okay?"

"Okay, doll," I said, still working on trying to remember more of last night.

I hoped she'd forgive me because I didn't deserve a friend like Sadie. I sat there looking at my phone for a long moment, trying to work up the courage to check out my recent online activity and texts. If I'd sent _that_ to Sadie, who knows what I'd sent to anyone else.

I poured myself a cup of coffee and scooped my phone up again when I heard my mom's ringtone. "Morning, Ma. How are you?" I settled in on a stool; if my mom was calling me this early, I knew I'd really done something stupid. I put her on speaker so I could check my texts and see what else I'd sent to people last night.

It took me less than two minutes to realize how stupid I'd been and to text Josh to get me a direct flight to South Dakota asap. Sadie wasn't the only woman that deserved a face to face apology from me. At this point, I wasn't sure if Megan would ever talk to me again.

 

*       *         *

My morning started out shitty but it got a little better when I got my daily text from Tom. He'd been sending me morning and night texts since we'd watched the movies together and it was really a nice way to wake up.

**_Good morning, darling._ ** **_I'm just heading to set_ ** **_now but it's a lovely_ ** **_fall day here in the city._ **

I sent him a quick reply and went back to the conversation I'd been contemplating before Tom's text had arrived, but I still wasn't sure what to think right now. I'd gotten my fair share of drunk texts over the years from girlfriends and various ex's but this – this was something else – and I didn't know what to think about it.

I sat in bed for a long time, and I was fairly sure I had my emotions under control right now, so I went upstairs, knowing from the smell of coffee that Sadie was awake, even if it was earlier than we normally had to be up.

"Do you want pancakes or waffles?" Sadie asked, giving me a small smile that was a little strained at the edges.

"Whatever you feel like; I'm not picky. What's wrong, Sadie?" I asked, taking a seat across from her and seeing that her eyes were red.

"I'm just a little upset at a certain someone. They made a dumb choice and now they have to try and fix things."

"Does it have anything to do with this?" I asked, bringing up the one sided conversation and sliding my phone over to her. She looked at it, scrolling up to read from the beginning and then closed her eyes briefly before looking back at me.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Megan. I'd tell you to talk to him but he was still drunk a half hour ago." Somehow it didn't surprise me that she'd talked to him already this morning. They really were best friends - the kind that could talk about anything. "This one, though -" she showed me the one that had hurt the most. "This one wasn't him. I've never heard him say anything like that – ever. Not even when he's drunk."

"Who else would it be?"

"My money is on Shayna Lewis – Chris' ex. I think she texted me last night pretending to be Chris, too." Sadie pulled up a text conversation and handed me her phone. "Go ahead and read it all and then tell me what you think."

I scrolled up to where I think it started and began reading. Sadie gave me a cup of coffee, setting the creamer on the countertop so I could doctor my coffee how I wanted it. I poured in a liberal amount and took a sip.

"I can't believe he said that," I muttered at several points while I read. "What was he thinking?"

"He wasn't. I've seen him stupid drunk before and it sounds like he was way past there when he sent them."

"I think you're right and it wasn't him for part of it. The tone changes here," I pointed at a line that didn't sound like Chris. "Until about here. Even the syntax is off based on his earlier messages to you."

"You're right. I didn't notice that earlier. I still want to kill her."

"What would she gain by sending this to you? It's not like you're a threat to her - you don't want Chris like that."

"I don't," she agreed readily. "Not that you would know this, but she's been wanting to get back together with Chris for a while," Sadie said as she topped off both of our coffee cups. "But since she and I don't get along, she can't 'drop by' when I'm at Chris' – that bitch _knew_ I was out of town and wasted no time getting her claws back into him."

I gave her a long look. "You _really_ don't like her." Sadie liked just about everyone - she was always so easy going that everyone liked her, too.

She smiled wryly. "No, that's putting it mildly. She messed him up good just before I met him -" Sadie paused as we heard loud footsteps on the stairs, her expression indicating that we'd finish this conversation later when little ears weren't around.

Liam and Isaac came running up the stairs loudly. "Mom – guess what?"

"What?" Sadie said with a smile.

"Chris is coming today!" Isaac practically shouted, giving Sadie a hug. Good thing I was already up for the day - I wasn't sleepy anymore after that news was delivered at what I was sure was the top of his lungs.

"He is?" she asked the excited boy. "Since when?"

"Since a little bit ago when I talked to him," Isaac said, jumping over to his brother and shaking his arm up and down as he talked.

"You didn't call and wake him up, did you Isaac? You know what I say about calling people before 7 am."

I laughed, thinking of that conversation. I had no trouble imagining it after hearing how she'd made them promise not to wake me before 7 either. She'd tried hard for 8 but they wouldn't promise that once they'd seen the new video game I'd picked up before we left town. I had really gotten it because _I_ wanted to play it - not that I'd had time to with all the stuff I'd had to get done yesterday - but if it let me sleep in it was totally worth it to use it for bribery.

"No, He called me," Isaac crowed, and there was no doubt that Chris was one of his favorite people. "He just told me he's getting on a plane soon and he'll be here _this afternoon_!"

"All right," Sadie said, trying to sound happy for her son. "He must have changed his mind then. He said earlier he was thinking about going to Boston to see his Mom today."

"He can see me play tonight then," Liam said animatedly, not pretending to be a bored teenager for a little bit. "If we win this one we go to the Dome!"

"What's the Dome?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as Isaac danced around the kitchen, over the moon that Chris was coming to visit. I just wondered how the kid had that much energy at this time of day. He made me tired just watching him.

"USD has an indoor football field and they host the State Football tournament every year at the Dakota Dome. Our team has went every year for the past 5 years."

"Oh," I said, reaching for my phone as it started ringing with a FaceTime call. Chris. I declined it and set my phone back down only to have him call back instantly. I declined it again and turned my phone off, not wanting to talk to him.

"Why don't you want to talk to Chris?" Isaac asked, having seen the screen during his lap of the kitchen. "I'll talk to him!"

"I just don't," I said, not wanting to tarnish the kid's hero over something the boy wouldn't understand.

"Are you dating Chris?" Liam asked shrewdly.

"No, definitely not," I retorted heatedly. "He's just a friend."

"That you're mad at," Liam stated, and I could see the wheels turning. He was going to be trouble when he was older – I could tell already. "Is that why you're living with Seb?"

"Nope. Long story short – I broke up with my cheating jerk of a boyfriend right after I started working for your mom and we were leaving town in less than a week so Baz said I could stay with him in his guest room."

"Oh. Do you like him?" Isaac asked.

"Who?"

"Chris."

"Do I have to?" I ground out through clenched teeth.

"Why not?" Isaac asked, looking at me curiously. "Everyone likes Chris!"

"I'm not everyone. Do they get this from you?" I asked Sadie, deflecting attention from me.

She shook her head and laughed. "No, this is all Justin. He was like a dog with a bone when it came to finding something out."

"I feel like one's herding me and the other one's going in for the kill," Sadie snorted at my analogy but didn't refute it. "What time's your game tonight, Liam?"

"7. I have to be there at 5 to get dressed and warmed up. You coming, too?"

"Wouldn't miss it. Your mom says you're pretty good."

"She's my mom – she has to say that," he said, giving me a look that I recognized as Sebastian through and through. It was funny, the little things they'd picked up from the guys. Isaac had adopted some of Chris' mannerisms - or maybe it was the other way around?

"No I don't," Sadie said, picking her phone up as it rang. "Liam, talk to Chris so I can get breakfast made."

"Okay," he said, accepting the call and looking at the screen. "Hey Chris. What's up?"

"Just making sure things were working. I think my phone's acting funny. I couldn't get through to your mom until now," Chris said, sounding like he was still drunk. It made me wonder how bad he'd been last night if he was still that drunk this morning.

"You weren't calling Mom, you were calling Megan and Megan says she doesn't want to talk to you," Liam informed him, being remarkably unhelpful to me. I knew where his loyalty was - with Chris.

"Thanks, Liam," I groaned, moving so I couldn't see the screen. "Sadie, I'm getting in the shower." I walked towards the stairs but I could still hear them talking; Liam had the volume all the way up.

"No, I was definitely calling Sadie - I'm sure of it," he said, sounding confused. "It took 3 tries for me to get through."

"Uh huh, sure," Sadie said, getting out a mixing bowl from the cupboard. "Liam, ask Chris what time his flight leaves."

Chris had heard her because he answered. "We're boarding any time now. I should be there by 1 at the latest and I've got Josh renting me a car, so don't worry about picking me up."

Good to know, I thought to myself. That way I could find a way to not be around when he got here. Maybe I'd take a kayak out on the lake for a while or take a nap or _something_. I had absolutely no desire to talk to Chris or even see him any time soon; I was still really pissed at him.

If I thought Sadie would go for it, I'd exchange my ticket for my flight home from Monday to today, but I was almost certain she wouldn't until we'd worked this through with him. I'd text my cousins in LA to see if I could stay with them while I was there; they'd be ecstatic to hear I was coming to see them. They were my favorite older cousins and they didn't get home much anymore, so I was looking forward to spending some time with them.

I listened in to the rest of the conversation as I walked downstairs.

"What time's Liam's game?" Chris asked.

"7," Liam replied.

"We'll probably try to be there around 6 so we can get good seats," Sadie added. "Isaac, settle down already! You're going to get hurt!"

I stifled a laugh as a crash sounded and Isaac chirped out a contrite, "Sorry Mom!"

"Sounds good, see you all soon. Isaac - don't bug your mom too much, okay?" It was weird hearing Chris sound like a parent, but the stern tone worked because Isaac's response was the same as my brother Mitch's whenever my dad chided him.

"Okay!"

"Bye," they chorused cutely. Sadie and her kids really were an adorable little family.


	13. Forgiveness

 Chris' POV

I'd packed and left the house before Shayna even woke up, catching a cab to the airport. I used my flight to try and repair the damage we'd done last night. Shayna had posted pictures of us together all over social media hinting that we were back together again. We'd been off and on again for a while, so while it was frustrating _that_ was nothing new.

What _was_ new was the implied rift between me and Sadie - which made me see red.  By the time I landed, I was sober again and I'd managed to mostly fix things so they weren't so bad, even getting a short nap in. I'd take a couple pictures today and post them to debunk the rumors.

I picked up food and pulled up to Sadie's house around 2 to be greeted by both boys.

"Hey guys," I said, picking up Isaac and giving him a big hug. "I think you've grown from the last time I saw you and that was only like a month ago."

"Didjabringmesomething?" he asked, his face buried in my neck.

"You know it! I'll give it to you when I unpack. Hey Liam - big game tonight, huh?" I set down Isaac and pulled Liam into a tight hug, feeling him relax into me.

"Yeah. Glad you could make it. Mom said you were supposed to go see your mom."

"I was, but I can do that next weekend. Ma wants you guys to all come to Boston soon since she's never met you yet."

"Cool – when?" he asked, letting go of me.

"I was hoping for Thanksgiving but we'll see what your mom says about it."

I looked over to see Sadie waiting at the door for me so I clapped Liam on the back and grabbed my bag to head inside.

"Hey doll," I said, giving her a big hug, picking her up off the ground and kissing her cheek. "I'm so sorry for -"

She cut me off quickly, meeting my eyes. "Later, Chris. Okay? And you can put me down now." After two weeks of filming with both me and Seb manhandling Sadie and carrying her around the set, she mostly trusted us not to drop her.

"Sorry doll," I said, giving her my best grin as I let go of her. "I got a little carried away."

"I couldn't tell," she said, patting my cheek firmly. "Did you eat?"

I grinned at the familiar question. "Yeah, I swung through a drive thru on my way out of town, mom."

"Good. Want to take the boat out with the boys for a while? We've got some time before we have to head into town."

"Love to. Everything ready?"

"Yup," Liam said. "We need to get it out of the water today for the winter, too."

"Okay. You want me to take the truck and trailer over to the public dock for when we're done?"

"No, Megan said she'd meet us with it when we call, so I parked it so she'd be able to drive right out and told her how to get to the public dock."

"She needed to get a few things done for me yet," Sadie explained. "We didn't get everything done yesterday we wanted to."

I nodded, accepting that explanation even if I knew it was a ruse. Megan didn't want to see me yet and I completely understood why. If the shoe was on the other foot, I wouldn't want to talk to me either after what I'd sent her.

"All right. Give me a couple minutes and I'll be ready to go.  Are we fishing too?" I asked Liam.

He shrugged. "We can if you want to."

Sadie nodded. "Sure, Chris. Your fishing license is still in my room on the dresser. You forgot it here awhile ago. You should probably grab one of Justin's sweatshirts, too. It's pretty cold out on the water."

"Sounds good," I said, heading for Sadie's room to set my bag down and get those couple things.

"Just meet us down at the boat, Chris," Liam said. "Isaac and I are going to grab a couple fishing rods and the tackle box. Mom made us take everything out of the boat yesterday since it was supposed to storm."

 

*             *              *

Megan's POV

I shut the office door when I heard Chris' voice only to jump when it burst open a moment later, scaring the living daylights out of me. Isaac cackled happily at the scare. Sadie wasn't kidding about the whole scaring thing, unfortunately.

"Geez, kid! You're gonna give me a heart attack!" I complained, making him giggle.

"Aren't you coming fishing, Megan?" Isaac asked, giving me the puppy dog eyes. "Chris is here!"

I shook my head and smiled at Isaac, having to work hard to resist those beautiful hazel eyes. "I've got some work to do first. I'll meet you at the dock later with Liam's pickup and the boat trailer, okay?"

"Can't it wait?" he asked, blinking his long eyelashes at me.

I'd be damned - he knew how to work those eyes, that's for sure. I shook my head, breaking eye contact for my own sanity. "Sorry puppy, this is what your mom pays me to do. Maybe next summer when it's _warm_ and I don't need to dress like an Eskimo, okay?"

"Fine," he sighed. "You promise?"

"I'll even pinky promise," I said, holding out my hand to him. "Catch some fish for supper, okay?"

"Okay!" His eyes lit up and he twisted his finger around mine before giving me a lightning fast hug and dashing out the door. I managed to hold in my gasp of pain until Isaac was gone and slowly got up, intending to shut the door again. Isaac had accidentally hit one of my deeper bruises when he'd leapt at me and it hurt like a wicked bitch, bringing tears to my eyes.

It felt a little better when I was standing up, so I took a moment to stretch before reaching out to shut the door. A large hand stopped the door from closing and I looked up to see Chris standing there with an apologetic look on his face – a grown up version of the puppy dog look Isaac had just given me a minute ago. I looked away, letting my hair fall forward to hide my face as I quickly pushed the door closed before he could saying anything, audibly clicking the lock into place.

"Megan?" Chris asked, his voice rougher than I expected.

"Just go," I said quietly, leaning on the door and closing my eyes.

I hadn't been expecting to see him; I didn't know what to say. Part of me wanted to open the door and let him have his say, but the more dominant part of me wasn't ready for that conversation yet and I really did have work that I needed to get done.

"I'm sorry," he said from the other side of the door. "I'm so sorry, Megan."

I exhaled loudly and tried to force myself not to respond to him, even putting a hand over my mouth to stifle the sob that suddenly slipped out, tears rolling freely down my face. I moved away from the door, looking out the window instead as I tried to get control of myself again.

*             *

Unfortunately, I couldn't avoid Chris all day. I parked Liam's truck with the boat trailer in the mostly empty public parking area and walked down to the dock. The cold breeze off the water made me glad I'd brought my winter coat with.

I waved at Sadie to let her know I was there since they were just fishing  a ways out of the no-wake zone. Isaac saw me first and waved back before turning to talk to Liam, who was driving the boat. They reeled their lines in and came to dock. Everyone had their roles down for prepping the boat and I handed off the keys to Liam with a smile as I watched the organized chaos.

"Sorry, I wasn't going to back it up," I said, shrugging. "I don't do trailers if I don't have to."

"It's okay. I'm used to it. Dad always had me do the backing up so if I wanted to take the boat somewhere else he knew I could do it."

"Did you catch me anything, Isaac?"

"Yeah - nothing big enough to keep though," he said as he packed up the tackle. "You should see the one that Chris caught."

"Was it huge or tiny?"

"I took a picture of it. Wanna see?"

"Sure," I said, walking over to the boat. I laughed when I saw it - Chris holding the tiniest damn fish I'd ever seen on a hook that wasn't bait. "So did you keep it for bait?"

"Had to - it swallowed the hook somehow and we couldn't get it out," Chris said. "Almost got me a good-sized walleye with it, though."

*         *

It felt kind of weird to be decked out in high school team gear again - and it wasn't even my high school. Isaac had wanted us all to match so he'd found sweatshirts for me and Chris to wear to Liam's game. We went to a local pizza place for supper since that's what Isaac wanted to eat and I had to admit they made a great pizza and their cheesy pizza sticks, Italian Fries, were to die for. Before I was even halfway done with my food Isaac had finished his and was eyeing it.

"You can have the rest if you want. I can't eat any more," I said as I finished the Italian fry I was slowly nibbling.

"Thanks!" he said, reaching over and swiping the two I had left as Sadie laughed.

"If you're that hungry you can get another order, Isaac," Sadie said.

"I'm good now," the boy replied with his mouth full.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Isaac!" Chris admonished, rolling his eyes.

Isaac swallowed before chirping, "Sorry!" and giving us his best smile.

"Can I keep him?" I asked Sadie. "I just wanna pinch those cute little chipmunk cheeks!"

She only laughed. "Finish eating so we can go, baby."

"I'll do the dishes," I said, getting up and grabbing our trays. I almost tripped over Isaac's coat but Chris somehow caught me before I could fall. "How did you manage to get over to me so fast?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him and lowering my voice. "Are you a vampire?"

"God no!" he said as he set me upright. "Sadie made me watch that series once. I don't know why you girls like that crap."

"A little bit of fantasy is good every now and again," I said with a shrug. "As long as we don't let ourselves get carried away and think we're actually important to someone and we're not."

I paraphrased part of the text he'd sent me and I knew the moment it clicked for him, his eyes changing in seconds, the blue darkening with a mix of emotion that I would be hard pressed to describe if someone asked.

"I deserved that," Chris said quietly, letting go of me. I walked away from him to dump the trays before going to wash my hands.

 

*     *        *

Chris' POV

I watched her walk away after delivering that verbal blow to my heart. I knew right then that she hadn't forgiven me; all of our interactions had only been for the boys' sake. Of course she wouldn't want our complications to affect them. They weren't dumb, though; they knew something was going on between us - well, Liam did. Isaac wasn't old enough to understand yet. He still thought girls were gross and had no interest in them, which was fine.

Liam had told me Megan hadn't hesitated to decline my calls this morning and she hadn't said anything about work until after she'd heard I was coming for the weekend. I'd felt like the worst kind of jerk knowing she was crying when she'd shut me out of the office but I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't talk to her through the door without the boys hearing and Sadie had made it clear she didn't want the boys involved.

Sadie met my eyes as I sat down and reached over the table to take my hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. Both of our phones buzzed at the same time and I let go of her hand to see which group text it was.

Seb:

**Please tell me** **this isn't the truth**.   
E!News: You heard it here first! Are Chris Evans and Sadie Wilson on the outs?

I looked over at Sadie apologetically but she was already responding.

Doll  
It's not true. He's sitting across a table from me right now. 

_Me:That's right - I am_

Hiddles   
I'm glad it's not true.

Renner  
Please tell me you're going to post some pictures of you guys together today so there's no doubt.

Scarlett  
And pix of you with Megan. Did you see this?

_ E!News: Chris Evans  _ _ and Shayna Lewis  _ _ back together again? _

That bitch really got on my last nerve the way she was acting with you!

_Me:Don't take this the_ _wrong way but I don't_ _even remember seeing_ _you last night, Scarlett._

Scarlett  
LOL. Not surprised the way you were drinking. 

Doll  
The three of us will address these rumors so thanks for the heads up. We're just going to watch Liam's playoff game tonight. If we win they go to State!

RDJ  
Tell Li good luck!

Seb  
We'll be watching for pics to share and comment on. Tell him good luck for me!

Doll  
Will do! Thanks for having our backs everyone. It really means a lot!

_Me: Thanks a million._ _I'm sorry I fucked up._

_Really sorry._

_I know sorry doesn't_ _fix it, so I'm gonna_ _grovel until Sadie says_ _I'm out of the doghouse._

 

Megan came back then and grabbed her purse and jacket. "Are you guys ready?"

"Yeah," Sadie said, getting up. "We need to get going if we're going to get good seats. My mother-in-law's meeting us there and I said I'd save her a seat."

When we got to the football field, I exchanged a look with Sadie. "Do you want to tell her or should I?" I asked in a low voice while Isaac was chattering loudly at Megan.

"I think you two really need to talk," she said quietly, a small smile teasing at the corner of her lips. "She can't avoid you forever."

I nodded, agreeing with her completely. When Megan got out and started following Isaac around to the trunk, Sadie said something to her I didn't catch. In the mirror I saw Megan's bright green eyes cut to me and then away again before she nodded once, her face tight. She waited until Sadie and Isaac started walking away before slowly opening the driver's door and stiffly sliding into the front seat, arms crossed.

"Thank you for not making me chase after you," I said, giving her a wry smile.

"I thought about it but Sadie said to let you talk because you need to fill me in. That's the only reason I'm listening to you right now, just so you know - so talk."

"First off, I want to apologize for the stupid shit I sent you last night. I don't know _why_ I would've said any of that when it's not what I think, but I did. I'm sorry, Megan."

She nodded, but didn't relax. Megan's stiff posture radiated hurt anger; some of her earlier comments indicated that she believed I'd only kissed her and flirted with her for my own amusement, not because I liked her. I thought I'd made it clear to her I was interested in her - I was still interested in her - but this might have set me back a long ways...if not permanently.

Megan worried her bottom lip between her teeth before deciding to speak her mind. "Sadie thinks Shayna someoneorother sent that stuff using your phone," she said hesitantly. "Could she have done that?"

"Yes," I said seriously.

"She knows your unlock code?"

"I haven't changed it in a while," I said with a sigh. "It's my dog's name in numeric form."

"Dodger?"

I shook my head. "East – my dog before Dodger. I had him for a long time and I really wasn't planning on getting another dog, but then I found Dodger."

"I changed mine after I broke up with Andy along with any other passwords he might have known – including my Netflix password. My next question is would she have done that?" she asked, pinning me with her deep green gaze.

"I don't know, but what it comes down to is that it was my phone and you thought I sent it, so I have to own up to it. I was stupid drunk – and that's no excuse – but I really am so sorry I hurt you. Can you forgive me?"

I reached out and took her small chilly hand in mine, and I think the only reason she didn't pull away was because she was cold, but I'd take it. I waited for her to respond, my eyes on her face as she looked out the window, watching the people going into the game. Finally she looked back over at me for a long moment before pulling her hand away.

"I'll think about it – that's the best I can give you right now," she said quietly, letting her hair fall forward to hide her face from me. "It _hurt_ , seeing what you really thought of me, you know?"

I reached over and tucked her hair back so I could see her face. Her lashes were damp, making me feel awful all over again for causing her this pain. "The only true thing in that whole message was that I hate it when you stand on the counter." I could tell she wasn't expecting to hear that, but it was true. "You're so accident prone that I just hate seeing you up there because if you fall you'd really get hurt," I explained.

"Did Sebastian put you up to that?" she asked with a choked laugh, pulling out her phone and typing rapidly. "He told me earlier today that he bought a step-stool for me to use."

"No – he fully agrees with me. I've caught you so many times now that I've lost count, Megan. On flat, level ground. Not several feet in the air. You still owe me, by the way."

"Do not!"

"Do too," I insisted. "I caught you at the pizza place."

She kissed two of her fingers and touched them to my cheek, "That's all you get." I caught her hand before she could pull it away and covered it with my own, abrading her palm with my beard before pressing a kiss into it.

"I really do like you, Megan."

She pulled her hand away. "What did you really need to tell me?"

I sighed heavily, not knowing how she would take the current situation. "This." I pulled up the conversation and handed her my phone so she could read the stories as I shifted, trying to get comfortable. I watched see her facial expressions as she read. When she finished she looked over at me consideringly, her forest green eyes studying me carefully.

"Did you know about this before you left New York?"

"I suspected."

"Did you know?" she asked in a firmer voice, handing me back my phone like it was a venomous snake, her eyes hard.

"Yes."

"So you didn't come all this way just to apologize," she said, disappointment coloring her tone.

I shook my head, trying to clear it. "I did. You and Sadie both deserve face to face apologies."

"Damn right we do," she snapped. "I still can't believe you sent that shit to _Sadie_ of all people!" My expression must have given me away because she continued. "Yeah, I read the conversation; frankly, I'm surprised she forgave you already."

I bit my lip as I considered what to say. I wouldn't lie to her and I couldn't minimize the threat to Sadie.  "I'm not proud of the shit I sent either of you, but no one tries to mess with Sadie's reputation as long as I can prevent it. If it wasn't for Liam's game tonight I would've had to come up with another reason for being here."

"Yeah, that's true, I suppose. What do you want from me? I assume that you have a plan of some sort?"

"I do. We need to post pictures from today and tomorrow that debunk the rumor. I have to go back to New York tomorrow night and I want E!News to look like they're barking up the wrong tree before then - tonight if possible."

"Kind of like that stupid Alternative News I hear about sometimes?"

"Exactly," I nodded. "The rest of the team is prepared to back us up, along with our publicists. This isn't the first time one of us has had something like this happen."

She nodded, seeing where I was going with this. "Social media wise, it makes sense – just keep in mind it's very easy to go from one extreme to the other if you post the wrong pictures," she warned me. "Show me what you were thinking of posting."

I tapped my phone and brought up the pictures from today, starting with a couple that we took on the boat. "I figured some of these from this afternoon and whatever we take tonight would be a good start."

She scrolled through them. "Yes, yes, no-"

"Why not that one? It's a great picture."

Megan shook her head decisively. "No, it's too girlfriend like. Then you'll have to deal with a whole new kind of rumor. This version's better," she said, flipping to the next one.

"How so?" I leaned closer to her over the center console and she didn't pull away, giving me hope.

"This one says 'friends' better than that other one; read the body language."

"How do you know this stuff?"

She gave me a look. "I worked for the campus newspaper for a semester and was the editor for our high school paper my senior year." She continued to flip. "No, no, no, yes, and the rest are older pictures that won't help you out right now. So you have three that are all right and we'll have to take some more tonight. I'll post a few of all of us on my Instagram and Facebook and tag you both in them. Having the three of us together will be better for Sadie in the long run."

"You'd do that?" I asked, meeting her eyes. I saw the moment she noticed I was only inches away from her and pulled back from me.

"Of course I would. I may not have known Sadie very long, but I like and respect her. She's probably one of the nicest women I've ever met. How many other women in her position would hire someone who looks like me to work around you guys?"

I was more than a little confused by this point. "I don't know what you're saying, Megan. Dumb it down a bit so I can understand where you're going with this."

"Beautiful women do not hire pretty girls to work for them as a rule of thumb, like a lot of the other PA's on set."

"They're not that bad looking," I said, struggling to remember any of them.

She tapped her phone and pulled up a picture of an average brunette. "Would you date her?"

"There's no way for me to answer that question without digging myself into an even bigger hole, Megan. Mea Culpa!"

"Point made. You ready to go in?" Megan asked as she popped the trunk so we could grab the blankets Sadie had loaded earlier for her and Megan. It was already pretty chilly and it would only get colder once the sun went down in a little bit.

"Yeah."

 

*           *         *

Megan's POV

Chris paid for our admission and we went to find Sadie and Isaac. They were talking to Liam over the chain-link fence that separated the spectators from the track around the football field.

I hung back just enough to get a couple pictures of Chris leaning over the fence, talking closely to Liam, who was in his full football gear, complete with his helmet tucked under one arm. I also managed to catch one of Isaac popping in under Chris' arm and hanging on to every word – a perfect guy bonding moment – just before Liam had to rejoin his team.

Sadie let Isaac lead us up to our seats. She asked a person in front of us to take a picture of our group and we leaned in close, both of us on either side of Chris and Isaac perched on his lap. I used the downtime to post some pictures on social media, tagging Chris and Sadie. The rest of the cast quickly commented favorably and I checked what Chris and Sadie posted to read through the comments.

Chris'd gotten a lot of hate for the whole Shayna thing - she really wasn't popular with his followers - but once he posted the three photos I'd approved, he started getting more positive feedback. Sadie's feeds were mostly the same as before, maybe slightly more positive. She'd posted a couple pictures from this afternoon and had a keen eye for what most people would read from them - two friends hanging out together for the weekend. When I scrolled through her comments there was a lot of relief that E!News had it wrong as usual.

In a better mood, I played along when Chris wanted to send Sebastian a picture of us being cheesy together. I also sent Tom a selfie of me bundled up in Liam's high school colors and a picture of a post-it note I'd scribbled a couple dates on for Bronco's games that I'd meant to send him earlier today.

_Me: I know it's not Broncos colors_ _but I haven't forgotten our deal._ _Will you check your calendar for_ _these dates and tell me what_ _works for you so I can get tickets?_

**_Tom: You look lovely, darling._ ** **_Never worry, I shall hold_ ** **_up my end of our bargain._ ** **_I'll let you know once I've_ ** **_talked to Luke. I'm sure he_ ** **_has an opinion of sorts on this._ **

_Me: I'm sure he does. If you'll_ _still be up in a couple hours_ _I'll give you a call when we_ _get back to Sadie's_

**_Tom: I'll be up for a while yet_ ** **_so please do. I'm just_ ** **_reading though some scripts_ ** **_and trying to decide if I_ ** **_should audition or not._ **

_Me: Sounds entertaining._ _Game is getting ready_ _to start so ttyl_

**_Tom: Lol! Amusing mortal!_ ** **_I can't remember the_ ** **_last time someone_ ** **_actually texted ttyl to me!_ **

_Me: I'm rolling my eyes at you._

 

"Anyone else want something from the concession stand? I'm going to get some hot chocolate," I asked, tucking my phone back into my pocket. Isaac's head popped up at the mention of food.

"I'll come with you, Megan. Mom can I get something?" he asked, doing a little dance.

"Sure. Megan, would you get me one too? It's even colder than I thought it was going to be tonight."

I nodded and smiled. "Yeah. Chris, you want anything?" I asked, trying to act like nothing had changed between us.

"Just a bag of popcorn, please," Chris said, flashing his Steve smile. "It smells good."

He tried to hand me money but I shook my head. "I've got it. Come on, Isaac. Let's go check it out."

"If you go this way it's faster," he said, pointing away from where we'd come in.

"Are you sure? It looks like you're going the wrong way."

"We're taking a short cut."

"All right. Just don't get me lost," I laughed and let him lead us, not convinced he knew where he was going but it ended up with us at the concession stand, so it worked. Three hot chocolates, two popcorns, a hot dog, and an order of nachos later we were trekking back to our seats.

"Is there anything left at the concession stand?" Chris teased Isaac as he sat down with his haul. "I thought you ate enough pizza before we got here?"

"I'm still hungry! There's walking tacos too-"

"But I said we had enough to carry by the time he finished that much of his order," I explained with a laugh.

 

 *           *          *

Chris' POV

"The hot chocolate's really good tonight," Megan said, blowing on the steaming drink.

"Can I try it?" I asked, looking down at her, an idea coming to me.

"As long as you don't backwash," she replied as she held her white Styrofoam cup out for me to take. I just held onto it, not taking it from her, making her look questioningly up at me just as I leaned in for a gentle but thorough kiss, tasting the hot chocolate on her lips.

"You're right – it is good," I murmured against her lips just before I pulled back and smiled.

She stared at me in shock. "I can't believe you did that."

"Couldn't help myself," I said with a shrug, handing her back the cup. From the corner of my eye I saw Sadie smiling and pretending to ignore us, keeping Isaac from noticing.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Megan really knew her football when she loudly expressed her disapproval of a questionable call against Liam's team.

She noticed my look and rolled her eyes. "What? I've got several brothers and all of them played. How could I not learn when I was drafted into helping them run through plays in our backyard?"

"That settles it. Marry me?"

"Not a chance, Evans. I've known you for what – two weeks? _Frozen_ taught me that you can't marry a man you just met."

"You didn't just meet me!" I protested. "And you can't possibly know Disney better than me."

"Doesn't change my answer. How about a friendly competition?"

"Fine – but I'm going to win again. You can't possibly be more of a Disney nerd than I am."

"That sounds like a challenge to me," Sadie said with a laugh. "You sure you want to challenge him again, Megan? Last time didn't work out so well for you."

"Yup. Rematch time. I know my Disney."

"Fine by me," I agreed. "After you get to my place in California we'll have a rematch."

"You need that much prep time?" she teased. "Oooh, I think one of my bunny slippers just ran for cover."

I laughed and put my arm around her. "What are the stakes this time?"

"I'll get back to you on that – What! Are you blind? That was textbook holding!" she shouted as another bad call was made.

"All right, Disney argument later – football now," I said, shaking my head at her. If I hadn't liked her before, she definitely would've gotten my attention now. It was like she was made for me: beautiful, loyal, likes football and Disney - and knows how to have a good time.

Liam's team won 46-45 in the last minute. It was a great game and I was really glad I had a chance to see Liam play. Hopefully next year I'd have more time to see his games. So far I hadn't committed to anything next fall, so maybe I could make it work out.

"Hot tub when we get back?" I asked as we waited to talk to Liam after the game. "I still can't feel my butt."

"Yeah," Sadie said, wrapped in her blanket and leaning into my side. "I haven't drained it yet for the year. Megan, remind me to call someone to come winterize my hot tub next week. Justin used to do it himself but I don't think he taught the boys how to do it. At least he taught them how to turn on the hot water heat because I never understood what he did every year."

Megan nodded and opened Notes to jot that down. "Got it. I didn't even notice you had one. Where is it?"

"It's out back, right next to the house, but the landscaping conceals it, so if you don't know it's there you won't see it right away."

"Oh. Sounds great – I'm freezing!"

Isaac fell asleep on the way home, much to Sadie's amusement. I carried him in, pulling off his shoes and peeling him out of his winter gear before carrying him down to his bed. I tucked him in before heading back upstairs.

Sadie was changing in the bathroom and had set out a pair of swimming trunks for me that I'd left here this summer. I quickly changed, knowing she'd take her sweet time and take off her make up before coming out. I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and went to uncover the hot tub and turn on the jets. I climbed in and closed my eyes; I was more than ready to lay back and relax after such a long day.

I opened my eyes when feminine chatter alerted me that they were coming. Sadie was carrying a couple towels for us and when she set them down on the bench nearby I saw she was wearing an older one piece swimsuit that I was going to convince her to get rid of. It didn't do anything for her and Sadie had a great figure; she just didn't like to show her belly even though it was firm and she had a good amount of muscle to her.

At the sight of Megan I think I lost my powers of speech. She was wearing a strappy black bikini that showed more of her alabaster skin than I'd ever seen, revealing curves that begged for my undivided attention. I was thankful for the jets right now because otherwise the hard-on I had now would definitely have been noticeable.

As Megan climbed in the hot tub, she reached up to confine her long hair in a messy bun. When she raised her arms, I glimpsed the unusual tattoo she had on her ribcage, partially covered by her bikini top. She didn't strike me as the kind of girl that would get a lot of ink, so I wondered what it said. I'd seen that style of script before, it just took me a moment to place it as Elvish.

She kept her back out of my sight and I hoped the awful bruises Sebastian said were there when she first moved in with him were gone now. I hadn't seen them myself but he'd said they were bad.

Sadie and I lazily talked about one thing after another as we soaked in the warmth, hopping from subject to subject as Megan listened, occasionally piping up if she had an opinion or question about something. By the time I'd finished my beer, Sadie was yawning and decided she was good for the night.

"You guys can stay out here longer if you want – I'm heading to bed."

I didn't move, still perfectly content to stay put for a while longer. "I'll be in in a while, doll. I'm not ready to get out yet. Just throw my bag in the bathroom if it's in your way."

"Sounds good," she said, wrapping a towel around herself and giving us both a smile. Night."

"Night, Sadie," Megan said, leaning back and closing her eyes, letting herself relax.

"You're staying?" I asked after Sadie left.

 

*                *               *

Megan's POV

"For now," I said, not even opening my eyes. "I don't want to get out just yet."

I was really comfortable in the hot water right then and didn't want to go out into the cold air even if that meant I was stuck out there with him. I could feel Chris' eyes on me but I chose to ignore him, still not wanting to talk to him right now. I'd skimmed our social media accounts on the way home and was pleased to see things were back on track for the most part, other than people were a little too interested in my relationship to Chris after seeing me in his company time after time.

I opened my eyes slowly to meet his gaze. "So what does the tat on your collarbone say?" I asked, touching my own clavicle. "I couldn't read it in the picture I took last week."

He smiled slightly. "It's something that means a lot to me. It reads, 'when you lose touch with inner stillness, you lose touch with yourself. When you lose touch with yourself, you lose yourself in the world'."

"Sounds very deep for someone like you. Is it Zen or Buddhist?"

"Eckhard Tolle, actually." He paused for a moment. "What do you mean someone like me?"

"I'm still trying to figure you out. You come across as the goofball jock most of the time - a deliberate choice on your part, I think, but I'm not sure _why_ you would choose to do that. I know you can be serious but I've really only seen that when you're on set or around Sadie; she...mellows you...balances you in way."

"I'm not sure if you just complimented me or insulted me," he said, raising an eyebrow at me.

I flushed, grateful for the darkness. I didn't know what came over me to say all that to him. Part of me wanted to hurt him like he'd hurt me, but more of me was trying to decide if he was really going to be worth my time or not. I decided to temper my words. "Neither. Merely making an observation," I said, getting ready to stand up only to have my calf cramp up suddenly, the pain making me drop abruptly back into my seat.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked, sitting up and reaching one hand towards me.

"Fine," I groaned. "Just a cramp." I reached down to massage the muscle but it didn't let up, only increasing in intensity. Chris shifted so he was right in front of me and I felt his hands on my foot, pulling my leg into his lap.

"Allow me," he said, looking at me with concern. "I'm really good at getting rid of them. Foot or calf?"

"Calf," I said, and his hands skimmed up my leg, moving my hands aside. I hissed as his fingers expertly worked the muscle and moments later I felt it starting to let up. "Thanks," I said, intending to pull my leg back. "You weren't kidding when you said you're good at that."

"Not yet," he said, still massaging my calf. "Give it another minute in case it spasms again. Sadie gets them a lot when we travel so I've learned a few tricks." He worked down my leg to my foot, his strong fingers giving me the best foot rub I'd ever had. I bit my lip to keep from moaning in pleasure - it felt that good.

"Just relax," he said with a smirk. "You're still really tense."

I leaned back again against the jet, letting it massage my lower back. I had to close my eyes to get myself to relax, not wanting him to see how much his touch affected me. It was hard to remember that I was supposed to be mad at him when he did things like this. He started on my other leg, chuckling when I jumped at his initial touch, my eyes flying open. He held my gaze with his steel blue ones, his unguarded expression wreaking havoc on my resolve.

It wasn't that I wanted to push Chris away; it was a question of did I trust myself around him? He made me want something I couldn't define and that scared the hell out of me. Ever so slowly, his hands slid up the outside of my legs as he leaned forward, his intent clear in those bedroom eyes.

I made a split second decision to stay put, curious about where he was going with this... _flirtation_? I liked kissing him - that I already knew - and the more adventurous part of me wanted more than just another kiss.

I could feel my heart rate accelerating as his arms caged me in, pulling me closer to him. My breathing shallowed - not in panic - I wasn't afraid that he would hurt me, but in anticipation. He smiled, gauging my response closely - but slowly continued to approach me. There was no mistaking the desire in his gaze when he lowered his head and slowly, ever so slowly, touched his lips to mine.

In that moment, it was like I could finally breathe again - like I'd only been going through the motions of life these past two days and hadn't even realized it until now... now I was fully alive again. I breathed in his intoxicating scent, filling my lungs until he was all I could smell. The feel of his hard muscles under my questing fingers only turned me on even more. I touched every inch of him that I could reach, learning his body by feel.

Every single nerve was fully aware of the urgency of his hands on my body, how they caressed me all over and pulled me even closer, until there wasn't any space left between us. His legs rubbed against mine when I shifted them to get more comfortable. His coarser body hair abraded my overly sensitive skin, putting me even more on edge. I'd never wanted someone like this before - I'd never known how intense desire could be and I wasn't sure if I could handle this.

 

*    *         *

Chris' POV

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding as my lips met hers. I'd fully expected her to move away from me at the last minute, but she hadn't. Just like she hadn't when I'd kissed her at the football game earlier tonight. I knew she wasn't indifferent to me - the way she leaned into the kiss proved that.

Megan brought one hand up, spearing her fingers in my hair. Her other hand lightly skimmed the muscles of my torso, her fingers tentatively exploring every ridge and valley. Her hesitant motions turned me on even more than I thought possible, leaving me achingly hard already.

My hands caressed her sleek curves, pressing her closer as I slowly moved us back without breaking the kiss. Her smooth legs caressed mine as she straddled me to ease the angle her neck was at, making her more comfortable. I felt her breathing hitch as I gradually dragged my thumbs up the side of her ribs. She moaned against my lips as I took her firm breasts into my hands, the thin fabric of her swimsuit no hindrance at all as my thumbs teased her erect nipples.

"God, you're so beautiful," I murmured as I slowly kissed down her neck, intent on tasting more of her sweet skin.

I easily freed one breast, taking the tightly furled nipple into my mouth as Megan gasped, her fingers tightening on my bicep and her back arching when I suckled harder. I freed her other breast and switched my attention to that mound, laving it thoroughly while my fingers rolled and tweaked the abandoned nipple until she couldn't handle the stimulation anymore, her breath coming in shallow pants interspersed with low moans of pleasure.

I captured her lips again as she slid down my torso and I pulled her close, my hand on her hip to keep her tight to me and trapping my aching cock between us. This woman was driving me crazy the way I wanted her, but somehow I managed to regain control and slow the kiss as I fought my need.

We were both breathing hard when she pulled away, resting her head on my shoulder, her fingers tracing the words on my clavicle before I covered her hand with my own. She slipped her hand free and stroked my beard lightly. I closed my eyes and savored her touch; letting her investigate my body freely. She kissed my neck lightly before nipping my collar bone.

"You know, I can't say I'm a fan of the beard," she said, working her way up my neck until she sucked on my earlobe, making me shudder as she tongued my ear. I hadn't known I liked that before now.

"Too bad - I have to keep it for a while yet."

I recaptured her lips briefly before resting my forehead on hers and staring into her eyes and seeing how blown her pupils were. Her eyes held mine as I rolled my hips against hers, rubbing my hard cock against her clit. She gasped my name, making me smile wickedly. She moaned when I repeated the motion, this time tweaking one nipple as well.

"Don't stop," she begged, a shudder running through her as I ground against her.

"You like that?" I rasped, not unaffected by the contact.

Her eyes closed as she nodded, arching her back slightly as I continued playing with her nipple. Her kisses became more demanding as I wound her up, her moans louder as she got closer to finding her release. I quickly changed tactics to send her over the edge, stroking her firmly through the thin fabric with my thumb instead, giving my now throbbing cock a much needed respite from the feel of her body on mine.

Her lips parted and her shocked eyes held mine as she shuddered in my arms, starting to climax from the intense stimulation. I smothered her cries with my lips as I battled my need to be inside her, my muscles tense as her whole body trembled against mine. 

"Am I dead?" she asked after she collapsed in boneless satiation onto me, her voice rough from all the vocalizing she'd been doing.

I wrapped my arms around her and chuckled. "No - not even close, babe." I kissed her temple, feeling her smile. "Should I take this to mean you accept my apology?"

"I suppose," she said with a giggle. "That was one hell of an apology, Evans. I don't think I can walk yet."

"Good," I grinned, feeling immensely pleased with myself when another little tremor ran through her. She was quiet for so long I thought she'd fallen asleep, but then she lifted her head to look me in the eyes.

"Not that I'm complaining or anything because that was great, but why stop now? I haven't done anything for you yet."

I grabbed her hand to keep her from reaching for my still hard cock. Knowing how on edge I was I wouldn't last more than a minute if she got her hands on me.

"As much as I'd like that, not tonight, babe. Next time I want all night with you, not just a stolen hour." She stretched up to kiss me softly, her pert breasts pressed tight to my chest. "Besides, I think we're out of time," I said as we heard a vehicle pulling up out front. When the garage door opened and closed, I knew our brief interlude was over.

"Liam's home," Megan murmured with a sigh.

"So what does your tattoo say?" I asked, ghosting my fingers over the ink on her rib cage and smiling when her breathing hitched and her still sensitive skin skittered under my touch.

Megan sat back and twisted just enough so the ink was visible in the moonlight. She smiled as she raised the strap slightly so I could see all of it - along with a view I wasn't going to forget any time soon: her beautiful, pert breasts on display just for me, nipples taut and begging for attention, water beading on her skin.

I swallowed hard and gritted my teeth when she teasingly rolled her hips, grinding on me before I moved her back enough so she wasn't touching me. The minx knew just enough to be dangerous, somehow aware that all this was a huge turn on for me.

"It says, 'not all who wander are lost'."

"In Elvish?"

"Yup," she said, laying back down on my chest after tucking her breasts back into her swimsuit. I put my arms around her, just holding her for now and wishing I could hold her all night. "Seems fitting for me. I love languages and traveling – I haven't stayed anywhere more than a year since I left college."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Pretty sure you just did," she teased as she tilted her head to look up at me, raising an eyebrow.

"Would you go out with me when you get to LA?"

"Like on a date?" she asked, nibbling on her lower lip.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I was hoping that you'd be my plus one to the _Thor: Ragnarok_ premier."

She pulled back from me slightly with an apologetic expression as she stroked my face. "Sorry Chris, but I can't - I already promised someone else I'd go with them last week."

"Who?"

She ignored my question and gave me a gentle kiss before climbing off me. "I'm going to head in. It's getting colder out here."

I watched her wrap a towel around herself before she walked away, somehow disappointed that someone else had beaten me to the punch. After a little bit longer, I turned off the jets and climbed out, putting the cover back on before drying off and heading inside, the cold air effectively ending my hard-on.

*     *

"So did you and Megan finally make up?" Sadie asked the next morning as she sat up and stretched.

"You could say that," I said with a grin, replaying our heated interlude in my mind and getting myself all turned on again.

"Good - because otherwise I wasn't sure where that little mark came from."

"What mark?" I asked, my eyes rapidly cutting to hers.

"This nice little hickey right here," she said, tapping my collar bone.

I decided to change the subject. "You didn't tell me Megan was going to the premiere, too."

"It must have slipped my mind," Sadie said with a yawn, laying her head back down on my shoulder as I put my arm around her. "You don't think she should go with Tom?"

"She wouldn't tell me _who_ she was going with," I grumbled, stroking her hair idly. "When'd he even ask her?"

"The night they watched movies together when we went to Rao's, so last Saturday? They're not dating yet, if that's what you're wondering."

"That was my next question."

"You really like her."

"Is it that obvious?"

"To me, yes. To her, no. She was devastated yesterday morning when she showed me what you sent her." Sadie stroked my beard - something she rarely did - as she talked and I closed my eyes and sighed heavily.

"I'm so sorry, doll.  just can't believe I would send that, doll."

I looked over again to see her watching me with those expressive golden brown eyes, reading my sincerity. I wouldn't bullshit her about something this serious and she knew that.

"I don't either - it didn't even sound like you when I read it. The only thing I can think of is that you were talking about Megan to Shayna - because you know how she is when you talk about other women - even when you're not together."

"Possibly. When are you guys coming to LA?"

"We'll be there the day before the premiere for fittings. Are you going to take Megan on a real date after that?"

"If she'll agree to it." I squeezed Sadie playfully and rubbed my beard on her shoulder, making her shove at me.

"Dork. Get your beard off me or I'll shave it in your sleep and convince the Russo's it was necessary."

"You would, wouldn't you?" I said, letting go of her.

She smiled sweetly in response before kissing my cheek. "You know I would. You better get moving if you're going to make your flight."

 


	14. Premiere

Chris' POV

I was already at the premiere talking to Seb and Sadie when Tom's limo pulled up. Megan looked beautiful in a long olive green dress that complimented her alabaster skin and bright red hair. I sucked in a quick breath when I realized that the Asgardian dress design paired with elegant, _unusual_ gold jewelry made her the perfect female counterpoint to Loki.

"Did you know that's what she was wearing?" I asked, unable to tear my eyes from her.

Sadie smiled. "Not until Luke brought it out, but it suits her. If you like this one, wait until you see her other dress for the after parties."

Sebastian whistled. "That's quite the declaration she's making by wearing that ensemble, doll." He jabbed my ribs with his elbow. "Sorry, punk – looks like she's taken."

"What do you mean by _declaration_ , Sebastian?" Sadie asked, looking up at him curiously. "It's just a dress."

He shook his head as he decided how to explain this to her. "No, doll - it's not. That outfit says 'she's mine' in a much more subtle way; they pretty much just announced they're dating without having to say a word."

"But it's also the US premiere, so you don't know that - with both Elsa and Sunny wearing similarly styled dresses that isn't necessarily the case," I said, trying not to frown because I was still aware of the cameras on us. I forced myself to smile as Megan approached us, allowing Tom to give his interviews and take separate pictures - keeping the press happy.

"Wow – I can't believe you guys do this all the time. This is nuts!" Megan said excitedly, her natural exuberance making her look even more attractive.

"You look nice, roomie," Sebastian said, giving her a side hug.

"Thanks, Baz," Megan replied, beaming up at him. "You look pretty great yourself."

"Damn - how tall are your heels? You're too tall to be my chin rest tonight," he teased.

Megan snorted. "Jerk. They're so tall I kind feel like I'm wearing stripper shoes. See?"

I choked when she said that, my mind going straight to the gutter. She gathered a handful of fabric to raise her skirt enough so he could see her shoes - platform stilettos with at least a 4 inch heel.

"I see," Sebastian said with a crooked grin. "Dress drags on the ground without them, doesn't it."

"Yup. I only have to wear them until the after party - then I can change into a different dress. I don't want to wreak this one. We should all take a picture together if that's allowed - and Baz, we need one for the Chronicles."

"Can't forget that - my Mom loves them, by the way," Sebastian said. "She says I don't put enough everyday stuff on there for her."

"Of course not. You hardly put anything online at the moment." Sadie laughed and pulled out her phone and handed it to Sebastian, who called over someone else to take the pictures. "Yes, Megan - it's allowed. Get close guys."

We posed for several different combinations, knocking them out quickly before the press wanted some other pictures of all of us together. Megan tried to move off to the side but I snaked my arm around her, pulling her tight to me.

"You should be in the pictures, too," I murmured. "Especially since you're wearing that."

She waited until the flurry of flashes faded before trying to escape again, hissing quietly so that only I could hear her. "Chris, let go; I'll be right back - Luke's gesturing for me to come talk to him."

I nodded and started to let go of her but suddenly she let out a small noise of pain and was falling. I quickly swept her up into my arms before she fell. "You okay?"

"Oww! I think I twisted my ankle," she said with a grimace. "My shoe got stuck or something."

"No, I think your heel just broke, Megan," Sadie said, having seen it all. "There's a piece on the ground."

"Damn, Roşu," Sebastian said with a grin as he showed her the broken piece and Sadie handed Megan her broken shoe. "I think that's a new record - and that's going on the Chronicles." He took a picture of me holding her with her busted heel in her hands.

"I can't believe my shoe broke!" she grumbled, her face flushed becomingly. "You can put me down, Chris."

"So you can fall again?" I asked in disbelief as I grinned at her. "Not a chance; you owe me again," I teased, trying to get a rise out of her.

"Chris!" she hissed. Sadie took off Megan's other shoe and was talking to Luke to get it taken care of while Seb looked at her ankle.

"Well you do."

"Punk, you better put her down," Sebastian said, giving me a look. I sighed, setting her down carefully, holding on to her arm while she tested her ankle.

"It'll hold," she said, straightening up and untangling her skirts. "Thanks, guys."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Tom look around briefly for Megan to see where she'd gone. He smiled and came directly over when he saw she was with us.

"Congratulations, Tom," Sadie said as she rejoined us, giving him a hug as he kissed her cheek. "I've been looking forward to seeing this movie for a while now."

"I think you'll be quite pleased, Sadie – especially with Loki." He gave her a grin before looking down at Megan, who was standing between the two of us and tapping at her phone before peering up at us.

"Tom, Luke needs you again," Megan said with a smile. "Sadie, Baz and Chris – you're needed over there for more pictures." She covertly gestured towards the large Marvel backdrop closer to the theatre entrance. "I'm going to round up everyone else."

"Megan, you're _not_ working tonight," Sadie said firmly, catching the younger woman by the arm before she could take off. "We talked about this. Besides, you don't even have shoes on."

"She's quite right, darling," Tom seconded, placing Megan's hand on his arm and covering her small hand with his own possessively. "Whatever happened to your shoes?"

"The heel snapped off one of my stilettos." Megan said, tipping her head back to look up at him. Without her heels the top of her head didn't even reach his shoulders, making him look even taller than he was. "Sadie gave them to Luke. Good thing I brought spares to wear with my other dress."

Tom smiled warmly at her and chuckled. "Only you, darling. You're all right, though?"

She nodded, gesturing at me. "Fine. Chris caught me before I could fall."

"Again," I said with smirk when Tom raised an eyebrow. "This is starting to be a habit, falling into my arms."

She groaned, smacking my arm lightly before turning to go with Tom. "I can't help it I'm a klutz, Evans!"

"Since it sounds like you're taking the night off, Roşu," Sebastian said with a grin, shooing her on. "It's your turn to be camera bait."

"But Baz-"

He and Sadie laughed together as Tom whisked her away before she could finish her protest, one hand hiking her skirt up so she wouldn't trip.

"Smile, Chris; or everyone's going to think you're upset she's with Tom," Sadie said, taking both of our arms as we walked over to where we needed to be.

"I'll try," I said, struggling for a genuine smile even though that was the truth.

"Then try harder. Are you an actor or not?" Sadie said tartly, her hand tightening on my arm.

I could only grin at her blatant manipulation, but she was right. If I didn't want to make Megan the subject of even more gossip, I'd better play along well enough to fool the media whether I wanted to or not.

 

*           *             *

Megan's POV   

I could feel how tense Tom was as I took his arm. He didn't enjoy this over-the-top kind of attention, he'd told me on the way here, but it was still expected of him. He'd taken some selfies with groups of fans when we'd arrived, the crowds chanting his name. Some of them had wanted pictures with me as well, which was unexpected but it made them happy, so I went along with it.

"So I haven't figured out if I'm supposed to be Loki's consort, concubine or mistress," I said to Tom, trying to get him to relax as we walked over to where Tom needed to be for the next round of pictures. "Which is it?"

He laughed loudly at my comment, drawing even more attention to us. I blushed as people looked our way curiously.

"Consort, of course, darling," Tom said with a warm smile, taking the fingers of my other hand and pressing his lips to them, camera's flashing madly around us. "A mind like yours would be wasted as either a concubine or a mistress."

"Good answer. Loki had a wife, didn't he?" I asked, his blue eyes holding my own. "I think I remember reading that somewhere."

Tom nodded, "Sigyn, who was a goddess in her own right."

"Goddess of what?"   

"Fidelity," he said with a wry grin. "The Loki of traditional Norse mythology was of course unfaithful to his loving wife."

"I have yet to see a pantheon that was created by faithful gods, so I highly doubt the Norse ones were any different from the Greek and Roman ones. I mean, take Zeus – not exactly the kind of guy I'd want to marry."

He laughed again. "True. Thank you again for coming with me tonight. I'm sorry I keep abandoning you."

I snorted. "On with you before Luke gets mad at me. I want to stay on his good side, you know."

Tom smiled as he let go of me and I moved aside with the other spouses or dates as the cast arranged themselves for photos with their director. I could tell it had worked and he was himself again and it would come across in the photos.

"You must be Megan," a beautiful blond woman said from beside me. She had a faint Spanish accent, which surprised me when I realized who she was. "I'm Elsa, Chris' wife. It's so good to meet you."

I held out my hand to her but she pulled me in to kiss my cheeks, making me blush again. "Nice to meet you too, Elsa. I've heard a lot about you and your lovely children from Tom, Sadie and Chris – I'm actually supposed to babysit for you this weekend so you and your husband can go out."

Her beautiful face registered mild surprise and her Spanish accent became a little more noticeable. "Really? He hadn't said anything about going out. I wonder what he's got up his sleeve?"

"I'm sorry – I didn't know it was a surprise," I said, feeling embarrassed. "I thought you knew already the way Chris talked."

"I didn't until now but I'm glad you told me so I have time to get things organized," she muttered about her husband in Spanish, making me laugh. She spoke so quickly I didn't catch all of it but her meaning was quite clear.

:Lo siento, Senora.: I said quietly, holding up my hands in apology when she finished her rant, making her chuckle.

:You understood?: She asked in Spanish and I nodded. :Chris forgets that the twins don't like having their schedules changed. So what do you think of all this?:

:I think...this is just a little bigger than I thought it would be. It's a little overwhelming.:

:You're handling it well so far. You and Tom look very good together and that dress looks amazing on you with your red hair. It was an excellent choice.:

:Thanks. Your dress is very beautiful as well, Elsa. I love the colors on you. Is it supposed to represent Thor?:

She nodded. :Yes, just as yours represents Loki. How long have you and Tom been together? I only returned two days ago so I'm not quite up on all the gossip quite yet.:

:Wait, what?: I asked in surprise. :We're not; we're just friends.:

She gave me a quizzical look. :Megan, the way Tom looks at you isn't platonic. I tell you like it is – _just friends_ don't come to a red carpet event dressed in their dates character's signature colors.:

:But Sadie didn't say anything earlier when we were getting dressed: I protested, slightly upset at this turn of events. I had no intention of making any kind of declaration any time soon - I wasn't even sure if I wanted to date Tom or not yet.

Luke came over with my other shoes and set them in front of me so I could step into them, holding out a hand for me to grip as I slid them on. "Thanks so much, Luke. I'm sorry for the trouble I caused."

"You're welcome, Megan," he said, giving me a smile. "I can't believe they broke so easily."

"It isn't the first time," I admitted. "I have horrible luck with heels."

Elsa clicked her tongue and raised an eyebrow when Luke left to continue our conversation. :No offence, but Sadie probably doesn't know – she's still a relative newcomer to this business, after all. I have been doing this for long time now.: The older woman smiled kindly and linked her arm with mine as she led me forward and switched back to English. "They are beckoning us; it's time to look beautiful for the press."

"Wow, Megan!" Mark said, giving me a hug as we approached. "Look at you! This is my wife, Sunny. Sunny this is the Megan I was telling you about."

"Oh - Chris' Ariel?" She said more to Mark than me, while giving me a smile. "You really made an impression if even I heard about it, Megan."

"I'm sorry?" I said, surprised to hear that Mark had told his wife about me, but I suppose she'd seen the pictures and the video since Lizzie had tagged the whole cast - even the ones that weren't out with us.

"Don't be," she said as we moved into place. Tom sandwiched me between himself and Mark and we smiled for the cameras.

"I think I've gone blind," I murmured to Tom when the flashes stopped, who only chuckled. "Are we done yet?"

"For now," he said, tucking my hand into the crook of his elbow. "I'll take you in to find your seat and I'll be joining you shortly. The cast has to be up front for a short introduction."

"Are we by Sadie and Baz?"

"Of course, darling; I thought it would be best if you didn't have to be all alone while I was working. I can't wait to hear what you think of this one!"

The movie was excellent and Tom linked his fingers with mine and put his arm around me to allow me easier access to his ear. He sincerely enjoyed the comments I occasionally murmured in his ear, his low chuckle making me smile.

*          *

I circulated with Tom at the after party for a while, sipping wine while meeting his friends and talking to other celebrities. Tom and I danced to a couple songs when the dance floor started filling up before Chris Hemsworth appeared beside me, startled me into stepping back into Tom's embrace. Elsa was with him and she touched my arm understandingly.

"It's all right," she said with a shrug. "He does that to me sometimes too. Big man, small woman."

"I'm sorry, Chris - you just startled me," I explained, feeling my cheeks flush.

"Are you all right, darling?" Tom asked as he rubbed my arms gently. "He asked me earlier if he could dance with you since he missed out in New York."

"Yeah," I said to Tom. "It's fine - I just didn't see him coming until he was right there." Tom nodded and held his hand out to Elsa for the dance, leaving me with Chris.

"I apologize for startling you, Megan. Are you enjoying yourself this evening?" he asked, taking my hand in his huge one. He had even larger hands than Tom and Chris. I set my other hand on his arm, not even attempting to reach for his shoulder as we started moving to the music. I followed his lead, pleasantly surprised that such a large man was so light on his feet; he was a really good dancer, too.

"It's okay, Chris; I just didn't see you. I am - this is really different than I thought it would be. Congratulations on your movie – it wasn't what I expected after seeing the last ones but it was still really good."

He smiled, showing his laugh lines. "Thank you, Megan. I see why Tom is so smitten with you; you really are an enchanting creature."

I was uncomfortable with the direction this was leading, so I changed the subject. "Your wife has decided my nickname is _la sirenita_ , which literally translates to 'little mermaid' in English." I smiled as I said it, letting him know I wasn't upset about it. It was one thing to be called Ariel, quite another to be _la sirenita_ \- that at least was a compliment coming from Elsa.

He laughed loudly at this and smiled broadly. "That doesn't surprise me in the least. Elsa was pleased that I'd arranged everything for our date."

"After she reminded you your sons don't do well with change?" I teased, patting his huge arm.

His grin turned slightly sheepish. "Yes, there is that. Perhaps you might come over earlier to give them a chance to get used to you?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll text you later in the week so you can let me know your address and what time to be there Friday if I don't see you on set."

"Thanks, Megan," Chris said with a small nod. He surrendered me to Sebastian as the song ended.

"Any time," I said as his wife reclaimed him.

"I was going to offer you a glass of wine but Elsa took it instead," Sebastian said, looking bemused as the Hemsworths danced away. "You want to dance or just walk around?"

I only laughed at his expression. "Thanks anyway, Baz. Can we go out on the balcony? I want to see what's outside and get a little fresh air."

"Sure, Roşu," he said, offering his arm. "Are you having a good time?"

"It's different. I feel like I'm on display and everyone's waiting for me to fall on my face."

"Well, that's because they are," Sebastian said, snagging a couple champagne flutes for us from a passing waiter.

I smacked his arm lightly before taking mine. "Baz - why'd you tell me that? Now it's gonna happen!"

"Nah, kid. You worry too much. So tell me Roşu – "

"No, we're not dating."

"Not yet at least," he said, giving me an enigmatic look as we leaned on the balcony, looking down at the chaos in the street outside. "What about Chris?"

"What about Chris? Say what you need to say, Baz," I said, giving him a sidelong glance. "You know you don't need to mince words with me."

"It's pretty obvious he likes you, Megan. You didn't see how upset he was when he saw what you were wearing earlier tonight."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What I wear isn't his concern, Baz. It's just a dress – a really expensive dress, too."

His cerulean eyes held mine as he hesitantly asked, "So you're aware of what you're saying with both of your outfits?"

I finished my drink and set the glass down. "I wasn't, not until Elsa told me right before we took the group pictures; but that was never the intended message. You should know that neither of these dresses were originally made for me - they've been altered. They were originally designed for a much taller woman."

"How do you know that?"

I took his drink and sipped it before giving him a look that made him laugh. He crossed his arms and leaned back, resting on the railing. "Dresses are cut differently for a woman my height versus a woman of Sadie's height, just like Chris Hemsworth and Tom Holland wouldn't be able to wear the exact same suit coat." He nodded, gesturing for me to continue. "I've worn enough formals to know the feel of an altered dress. This was very well done, but through here," I indicated the side gathers, "the draping of the fabric was redone to make it fall properly on me. Don't get me wrong, I love how this looks on me - I just wonder who it was originally intended for."

Sebastian opened his mouth and then shut it again, shaking his head slightly. "You're not upset about it?"

"Tom was really nervous about tonight for some reason, which you probably didn't notice."

Sebastian shrugged and shook his head. "It's premiere - we're always a little nervous at these things because we don't know how the audience is going to receive our work. Sometime we haven't even seen the whole finished film before now, either."

I nodded; Tom had said something to that effect earlier when I'd asked. "So if I'm here for the reason I _think_ I am - to support him - then I've done what I came here for. I really think the message Tom wanted - strike that - _needed_ to send tonight was that he's moving on. What better way to say it than by appearing in public with another woman that isn't family and isn't involved with anyone else?"

Sebastian nodded slowly, following my train of thought. "There isn't. You're an unknown entity - no one knows what to think of you yet."

"I'm aware of that. I'm not a celebrity and you know better than I do that someone famous would have been a better choice, but he's a good friend to me, Baz."

Sebastian stared at me for a long moment before pulling me into a hug. "You amaze me, Roşu."

"I have my moments," I said with a grin, which turned into a wince when his hand pressed on a really sore spot. "Ow! Not so hard - they're not all gone yet."

"They looked gone," he said, inspecting my back. "I thought you were all healed up. You're not?"

I shook my head. "I asked Vi and Cassie to cover them for me with something that wouldn't rub off easily once I tried on the first dress. They airbrushed my back for me to keep them from showing. Could you imagine the headlines if I hadn't?"

"Exactly what we want to avoid. That also explains the arm cuffs - to hide the rest of the handprints. You haven't told Tom yet, have you?" Sebastian asked, his cerulean eyes concerned. "He should hear it from you, Roşu - and sooner rather than later."

I shook my head at him. "It's over and done with; I'm working on my...issues." I looked out over the bright city. "Let's not talk about this right now, Baz. It only makes you pissed off and then everyone's going think you're mad at me or Sadie."

He took a deep breath and blew it out before nodding in agreement. "You're right again. I'm going to get another drink. You want anything?"

"Sure, I'll come with you. I'm ready to head back in again and talk to more people I don't know and won't remember me tomorrow."

"I think Tom brought you for the entertainment value," Sebastian laughed as he offered me his arm, not bothering to disagree with my perception of the event. "I know I'm certainly entertained."

 

*           *             *

Chris' POV

I drank heavily as I watched Megan working the room on Tom's arm, smiling up at him and making him laugh. She hadn't approached me after the look I'd given her when I saw how they were cuddled together during the movie, his arm around her and she leaned into him, murmuring in his ear.

"You should not wear your heart on your sleeve, _Capitan_ ," a lightly accented voice said from beside me. "Your eyes, they follow her everywhere."

I looked down to see Chris Hemsworth's wife standing beside me, sipping champagne and watching them as well. "I should just accept that she chose him instead?"

"Who said anything of choosing? You do not know the whole story."

"Then enlighten me, Elsa. I'm not in the mood to play guessing games."

She gave me a long look. "Not here – outside."

I held out my arm for her to take and guided us through the crowd, taking an indirect route to the balcony and then staying to the middle where we'd be visible to the whole room. I put a little space between us, leaning on the railing and taking a deep breath before giving the Spanish beauty my attention.

*         *

"Mind if I cut in?" I asked Liam Hemsworth when I reached him and Megan. They were talking animatedly during a slower song, looking like they were old friends the way they danced together. Was there no one this woman couldn't wind around her finger in a manner of minutes? "Miley doesn't look very happy with you right now," I warned him, having seen the look she'd directed at Megan when she'd seen the redhead dancing with her fiancé. "But it's always good to see you again, Liam."

"Same here, mate. She's all yours," Liam said easily, clapping me on the back. "I noticed, but I'm going to steal Sadie first. I haven't gotten to dance with her yet tonight."

"You do that," I said with a grin. "She was dancing with your brother again last I saw."

"What was that about?" Megan asked curiously as I took her into my arms, wishing I could pull her closer, but I couldn't, not here with all the press hyper-focused on us and waiting for something headline worthy to happen. I'd hardly seen Megan yesterday or today since she and Sadie had been running all over town to finish getting ready for this event.

"Saving your bacon. Try not to piss off his fiancée if you can avoid it; she holds grudges and Sadie spends a lot of time with the Hemsworth's. I think she promised to take the boys to Australia over Christmas break so Chris and Liam can teach them how to surf."

Megan raised her eyebrows. "Good to know. So is this your way of letting me know you're done being mad at me for whatever the hell it is you think I did now?" Her forest green eyes met mine. She followed my lead easily, letting me twirl her before pulling her close again.

"Yeah. Sorry, I didn't have my head screwed on straight. I just assumed-"

"You know what they say when you assume," she quipped, her lips quirking slightly. "You make an ass out of you and me."

I snorted, I hadn't heard that saying in a long time. "Yeah, yeah. I'm going to head home soon. See you there?"

I felt her hesitation before she nodded. "Eventually. We have to stop in at one or two other places yet, I think."

"Partying like a rock star?"

She shrugged and smiled. "Maybe - but I wouldn't be surprised if we're going to watch the sun coming up at the going rate. Luke's got a full night planned."

Speak of the devil, Tom was already approaching us. "Are you ready to go to the next place, darling?" Tom asked her as the song ended. "Luke has the car pulling up out front for us."

I forced myself to let go of her and not make a scene when he took her hand and set it on his arm, covering it with his own. I took a deep breath as I watched her walk away, hoping she'd be coming home to me later, but the way that Tom was looking at her tonight, I wasn't sure that she would be.

 


	15. Misunderstandings

Megan's POV

I sat next to Tom in the limo and slid my shoes off, tucking my feet under me as I half listened to him and Luke talking. This dress was a lot more comfortable than the one I'd had to wear to the premiere but it still wasn't one that I'd have chosen for myself. It would, however, suit a certain famous tall blond very well.

As close to Tom as I was, I could feel the rising tension in him as we got closer to the next event - and the next round of reporters. I looked up at him and smiled before looking out the window, taking Tom's hand in mine and idly playing with his fingers until he tugged on mine to get my attention. His lips were curled in an amused smile as he looked down at me.

"Yes?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"If you're tired, darling, we can go back to my place after we put in an appearance at this next event."

Luke shook his head infinitesimally, letting me know that wasn't where we were at on the agenda. I smiled and shook my head at Tom, knowing he'd take the out if I agreed, but when I'd agreed to be Tom's plus one for tonight, Luke and I had talked at length about what would be best for Tom tonight - and letting him off the hook wasn't it.

"Only if this is really the last appearance you need to make, Tom," I said, linking fingers with him. "I'm good for quite a while yet as long as I eat something soon."

Tom needed to be seen out and about tonight interacting lightheartedly with others. He needed to use the press to make the most of these appearances, putting the rumors that he was still in love with his ex to rest. Luke and I agreed that my job as Tom's red carpet escort was to keep him on schedule and in an excellent mood by whatever means necessary.

I knew Tom hadn't eaten since our light dinner yesterday afternoon and if I was hungry, he probably was too. By appealing to his gentlemanly manners, I could cajole him into doing what was needed far easier than telling him he was required to appear at this event.

"That's the first thing on the list after the reception line, then." Tom decided quickly before he put his arm around me and pulled me close, draping my legs over his and letting me lean my head on him. "I could certainly go for a bite as well."

"Good, because I like watching the people at these things - it's even better than seeing it on TV," I said with a grin, making Tom laugh. He played with a loose lock of my hair as I told him a funny story from when I was younger and ran my hand over his arm lightly, relaxing him in minutes. 

*         *

The sun wasn't quite up when Tom brought me back to Chris' house, but it would be soon. He woke me as his driver parked to let me out and I blinked blearily, having fallen asleep in Tom's arms shortly after leaving the last party a while ago.

"Megan, darling; we're here," Tom murmured in my ear, his scruff tickling me. "Up now so we can get you inside."

"Yes, dear," I said with a yawn, sitting up and letting Tom's jacket slide off my shoulders. I let him hand me out of the limo, more tired than I'd thought. Tom set his arm around my shoulders as he walked me to the front door. Luke had taken my bags in already and set them inside for me. "Thanks, Luke," I said as I smiled tiredly at him. "I appreciate it."

"Thank you for your assistance tonight, Megan; you did a bang up job of keeping him in line," Luke said with a grin, his eyes cutting to Tom, who was more than a little amused, having figured out our strategy at the second after party when we'd teamed up on him to avert a situation with an overly clingy fangirl.

"Believe me, I know - things went a lot better than I thought they would," I replied, letting Tom pull me past Luke and into the house.

"I'll be out in a minute, Luke," Tom said, steadying me as I kicked off my heels. Luke went back outside and Tom shut the door, smiling down at me. "Thank you again for coming with me tonight, darling. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Of course you could have, Tom - but you're welcome. I enjoyed being out with you tonight."

"I've wanted to do this all night but I didn't want to muss your lipstick," Tom said as he leaned down to kiss me, one hand cupping the back of my neck and the other pulling me closer to him.

"Vi would have killed you if you had," I informed him as I splayed one hand over the thin material of his dress shirt, leaning into him as our lips moved in sync.

He sighed when I ended the kiss, my long day catching up with me. "To bed with you before you fall asleep standing up." He stroked my face lightly, his expression bemused.

"Shower first, then bed," I clarified, smiling up at him. "I need to get all this makeup off."

Tom only grinned, giving me another quick kiss. "Good night, darling."

"But it's morning, Tom," I teased, tugging gently on his shirt to get him to lean down for another kiss. "Sun's almost up already."

I touched my lips to his, canting my head to deepen the kiss, letting his lips capture mine again for such a thorough kiss we were breathless when I finally pulled back and stepped out of his arms. Tom reluctantly opened the door to leave, giving me a soft grin and a kiss on the forehead.

"Then good morning; have a good day, darling."

"I will," I said, smiling at him. "Better get going before Luke comes back to get you."

I locked the door after him and walked into the kitchen. "Morning, Scott," I yawned as I got a glass out of the cupboard and filled it with ice water at the fridge.

"Morning, Meg. How was your night out with Tom? Is he a good kisser?" He waggled his eyebrows at me suggestively. "Looked like he was."

"Don't you want to know?" I snorted and threw an ice cube at him, ignoring his question. The younger Evans brother was sitting at the island looking at his phone and drinking coffee. He wasn't dressed for the day, still in just his boxers. "You don't believe in wearing pajamas either? It's a good thing I'm going to be at my cousin's for the next couple weeks; they at least believe in pajamas."

"Nope. Wait - you're not staying here? Why not?"

"I promised them that if I ever got to LA I would stay with them for a while so we could get caught up," I said, leaving it at that. "Sadie and your brother beat me back?"

"Chris did - I heard him come in after midnight. Not sure if Sadie is or not, but I don't think she's home yet. Did you see the pictures from the premiere?"

"Not yet. Anything good?" I yawned and leaned my head on his bare shoulder to see what he was looking at. "You're nice and warm," I said, putting my arms around his neck. He jumped when my cold jewelry touched his skin, making me laugh.

"Loads. Why was Chris carrying you around on the red carpet?"

"I knew that was coming," I groaned. "I broke the heel of my stiletto and almost fell flat on my face in front of _everyone_ ," I smiled as Scott cracked up, fighting a huge yawn.

"So it's a good thing Captain America has spectacular reflexes?"

"Exactly! I'm beat - will you undo me?" I asked, letting go of him to present him with my back. "I can't get out of this one on my own without popping a seam and I don't own it."

"Sure; this is some costume you've got on here," Scott said, his hands brushing my hair to one side before gently working on the hidden fasteners. There wasn't a zipper on this dress - just a lot of hidden buttons that Sadie had cursed at having to do up. "What were you going to do if I wasn't up, huh?"

"Don't know; I hadn't thought that far ahead. Thank you," I sighed in relief as I felt the last one give way and held the bodice in place with one hand to keep it from slithering down my body. "I'm gonna get cleaned up before I pass out. Where's Dodger?" I asked suspiciously, glancing around the kitchen. I hadn't seen the dog once yet this morning, which was odd. Chris' dog had decided he loved me and had to be near me at all times, which had led to me taking several falls in the past two days when I tripped over him.

"I let him out back for a bit, so you're safe. I'll wait to let him in until you're upstairs."

"That's why you're my favorite Evans," I said with a grin, kissing his cheek. _"You_ protect me from the crazy dog, unlike your jerk of a brother."

"What did he do now?" Scott asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you were back on good terms again. Seemed like it yesterday, at least from the pictures I saw."

I sighed heavily. "I don't even know how to explain it. He was fine when I got there with Tom and then by the time we were watching the movie he was acting like he was all pissed at me and I don't even know why. How about you tell me why when you figure it out, okay? Night."

"It's morning," he said, laughing when I flipped him off in reply. "And you're really not my type, Meg."

 

*         *          *

Chris' POV

I frowned when I came out of my home gym just in time to see Megan going up the steps, the back of her dress undone, showing a large amount of her pale skin - and her fading bruises. I smelled coffee, so I walked into the kitchen to see my brother sitting at the island, drinking coffee and tapping at his phone.

"Morning Scott. Did Megan just get home?"

He looked up at me, a smile flickering across his face before sliding off again. "Morning, Chris. Yup - maybe 10 minutes ago. She said she was going to shower and take a nap."

Scott toyed with his mug idly as he spoke, so I knew he had more he wanted to say; if I waited long enough, he'd get around to talking. I grabbed a mug to pour myself some coffee while I waited patiently.

"So I noticed something when I helped her out of her dress," Scott said and I exhaled in relief; that was why she'd been half undressed. I watched his face as he struggled to find the right words and saw the frown forming. "Her back was covered in makeup - which I wasn't expecting - but it's only to about where her dress would cover the rest of her skin. Below that line, though," he shuddered. "What the fuck happened to her?"

I took another drink while I considered what to tell him. "I told you why she moved in with Seb, right?"

He shrugged. "Kind of; you only said she broke up with her boyfriend and needed a place to crash, but I'm assuming there's more to it than that after seeing those marks on her."

I nodded tightly, feeling pissed at Megan's ex all over again. "Sadie found out the bastard was abusing her - which is where those bruises came from."

"So is there any truth to today's rumors?" Scott asked, raising his eyebrows. "Is she really seeing Tom or was that all just because Taylor's been such a bitch to him lately?"

"What do you think?" I asked Scott, wanting his honest opinion. "You saw her dress and probably a good deal of the pictures by now."

"I have." He sat back and folded his arms over his chest. "I think it took him a long time to tell her goodbye this morning when he dropped her off. Other than that, I don't know; she avoided answering my questions about him for the most part."

"She's good at that," I agreed, taking a sip of my hot coffee. "A little too good."

"Do you know why she's going to stay with her cousins?"

I looked over at him in surprise. "This is the first I've heard of it."

"So what did you do last night to make her think you don't like her?"

I groaned, running my hands through my sweat dampened hair. "I'll go talk to her, okay?"

Scott studied me closely. "You better. I kinda like having her around, you know? If I was into girls, she's the kind of girl I'd go for."

"Then I'm really glad she's not your type," I said, rolling my eyes at him.

I decided to finish my coffee before going upstairs, giving her time to get her makeup off and shower. I knocked loudly on Megan's bedroom door, calling her name.

"Just a minute!" I heard faintly, her voice muffled by the thick door. She was only in a towel with her wet hair flowing loose around her when she opened the door a minute later, looking less than pleased to see me. "What do you want, Evans?"

"I just needed to talk to you for a minute," I said, clearing my throat, suddenly not sure what I was going to say to her.

"I was getting ready to take a nap since I just got back a little bit ago," she said, clearly reluctant to speak to me.

"It's kinda important. Just give me five minutes. Please?"

She worried her lower lip between her teeth before nodding. "Fine. Let me get dressed first, okay?"

I nodded and she closed the door. I tried really hard not to let my jaw drop when she opened it again a minute later wearing the same sexy nightie that Seb had posted a picture of her in on Instagram when they were having their picture war. I was instantly hard just seeing her wearing that. Her long hair was still damp and had already soaked the thin fabric, making it cling to her skin - perfectly outlining her pert breasts and puckered nipples. She waved me into her room, thankfully unaware of how revealing it was.

When I walked into the room, I could see that in two days she really hadn't unpacked anything other than the important stuff, making me think that Scott was right and she wasn't planning on staying. I didn't know if it was her perfume or her shampoo, but the combination of vanilla and jasmine surrounding me was driving me wild. She shut the door and turned to me, crossing her arms and focusing my attention on her breasts again. I forced myself to look up as she spoke.

"So what did you need to talk about?"

I cut to the chase, blurting out, "Scott said you're not staying with us? Can I ask why?"

She glanced at me before looking away. "I already promised my cousins I'd stay with them for a while when I got to LA."

There was truth to her words, but that wasn't the whole truth and I was going to call her on it. "When? Last week when I sent you those fucked up messages?"

"Does it matter?" she asked, still not looking at me.

I reached out one hand to turn her face to me, cupping her chin. "Yes, it does matter."

She took a step back, brushing my hand off her. "When I believed that was what you really thought, I didn't think I'd feel comfortable staying with you for very long." She re-crossed her arms abruptly and I picked up the hint of anger in her body language as she was reminded of them again.

"So you called up your cousins to see if you could stay with them instead?"

She gave me a look. "Wouldn't you if you were in my position? Stay with someone who hates you or stay with family - it's a no-brainer."

"I don't hate you, Megan," I said, taken aback.

"I don't understand you!" she tossed her hands up in exasperation. "Make up your goddamn mind already!"

"What do you mean?"

Her hands came down to her hips as she let her temper slip its leash and took a half step forward. "Your mood swings are kinda giving me whiplash here, Evans. One minute we're talking like friends and everything's just peachy; the next minute you're giving me the silent treatment along with a not so subtle glare whenever you thought I wasn't looking!" She poked me in the chest with one finger, her glistening eyes holding mine. "Then you come up and expect me to dance with you like nothing's wrong? What the hell am I supposed to think?"

"I don't hate you, Megan." I suddenly understood what she'd interpreted from my behavior. I'd fucked up again, stupidly letting my jealousy dictate my actions and blowing hot and cold accordingly - no wonder she was confused.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked with a rough voice, walking towards the door with the intention of kicking me out. "Because it sure seemed like you did to me."

"Positive," I said, pulling her close and crashing my lips into hers. I tasted her minty toothpaste as our tongues tangled, which turned me on even more. Unlike our previous kisses, this one was a sheer battle for dominance, neither of us wanting to give way to the other. Gradually, by mutual accord, the kiss turned softer, slowing somewhat to let us catch our breath.

"You can't just kiss me and expect to get your way, Chris." Megan said, still angry. "That's not how things work in the real world, you know."

"I'm sorry, Megan," I said, swallowing my pride. She was right - I had expected her to come over to my way of thinking after a kiss like that, but she had more backbone than I expected. "I might have been a little jealous, seeing you with Tom like that."

"Like _what_?" she asked incredulously, pushing me away from her and walking over to her suitcase. She pulled a robe out, slipping it on over her nightie and tying it shut. "Go on - explain what you meant by that."

I sat down on the edge of the bed, clasping my hands in front of me and looking up at her. She met my eyes, waiting patiently for me to elaborate, arms crossed in front of her. "Everything about last night just rubbed me the wrong way, starting with that dress, continuing with how he looked at you, and how you sat together during the movie-"

She moved closer to stand right in front of me, covering my mouth with her hand. "Let me stop you there. Did you think Tom and I were suddenly dating? Because we're not. Neither of you have any claim on me -"

I shifted my face into her hand, and she let it rest on my bearded cheek as I looked up at her. "What else was I supposed to think?"

She pulled her hand back. "Were you thinking at all?"

"I don't know?" I said, not sure what else to say.

I thought of what Elsa and Seb had said about things not really being what they appeared and that it was all for a good reason, even if they couldn't elaborate because of the people that were always around us. I held out my hand to her, palm up, pulling her over to me when she took it so she was standing between my legs. I put my arms around her hips and rested my forehead on her stomach, craving her touch.

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Chris," Megan said eventually, running her fingers through my hair. "But maybe you should talk to Tom - like really talk. He could use another friend right now, but it's not my place to say anything more than that."

"I'm sorry for being so stupid."

She stepped back slightly, one hand under my chin. "Yeah, you were pretty stupid - throwing a hissy fit to make me notice you? Stupid. We're not 10 anymore."

"I never said it was a good plan," I muttered, pulling her into my lap so we were face to face. I drew in a deep breath as her robe parted, giving me another look at her satin clad body, her erect nipples still prominently displayed by the wet fabric.

She snorted. "No shit, Sherlock?"

"I never meant to make you think I disliked you." I stroked her face lightly, brushing her long hair back over her shoulder. "Truth is, I like you... I like you a lot... and I'd love it if you'd stay with me while you're here in LA. Will you stay?" I kissed her gently, still hoping to persuade her. She broke the kiss and pushed me herself away from me, just looking down at me for a long moment.

"You really don't know when to quit, do you?" she asked, staring at me in disbelief and scooting off my lap, walking over to the door and gesturing for me to leave. "And I'm still going to stay with Mia and Amy. That's non-negotiable; now if you don't mind, I _really_ need a nap since I'm going on well over 24 hours between siestas now."

 

*         *          *

Megan's POV

I woke up from my nap feeling refreshed; I hadn't slept that hard in a long time. I rolled to my back and stretched, my hand hitting a piece of paper that hadn't been there when I'd went to sleep. I picked it up and read Sadie's distinctive flowing script, a mixture of cursive and printing.

**_Wear the outfit on your chair today and plan to be outside for a while._ **

I flipped it over to see if there was something more written on it, but that one line was it, making me wonder what she was up to. Sadie had never done anything like this before, so it had something to do with Chris.

I picked up my phone and sent a quick text to her before starting to get dressed. I pulled on some underwear and the jeans that were on the chair, leaving my top off until after I'd finished doing my makeup.

Me: _What are you up to?_ _I got your note._

 **Sadie:** ** _Can't tell you because_** ** _I don't know. Ask Scott._** **_I think he's in on it._**

 _Me: Will do. What time do I_ _need to be ready by?_

 ** _ **Sadie:** Whenever. There are pastries in_** **_the kitchen. Sebastian and I_** **_picked them up on our way_** **_here this morning._**

_Me: Did you get home _ _before or after me?_

_Sadie - did you have a_ _SLEEPOVER?_   
  


**_**Sadie:** Quit stalling and _ ** **_get moving._ **

_Me: SADIE! YOU DID! YOU DID!_

_I want details! Come up and_ _talk to me while I get ready._

 

I heard Sadie come in while I was working my way through the tangles in my hair. "Help?" I said, handing her my other hairbrush. "I didn't put it in a ponytail before going to sleep," I explained. "I was so tired I just crashed, so now it's a snarled mess."

"I see that," she said with a chuckle, spraying a section with detangler before getting to work on it. "So did you have a good time last night with Tom? He looked really happy when he was with you."

"I kind of felt like Cinderella - except I didn't get home until dawn. I think things went well for the most part. How was your sleepover with Sebastian?" I met Sadie's eyes in the mirror, seeing her blush was enough of an answer. "Or was there any sleep involved?"

"There was sleep," she said with a grin. "Just not necessarily a lot of it. I haven't felt like this since I first met Justin."

"You look happier," I said, turning around and hugging her. "I'm so glad you're with him! I have something to show you." I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and pulled up the pictures I'd taken last night, including one of Sebastian looking at Sadie when she wasn't looking at him. "I didn't send it to you guys yet because I wanted you to see it first, but this is how he always looks at you when he thinks no one's watching him."

"Really?" she asked, sinking down to sit on the edge of the bathtub, one hand flying up to cover her mouth to muffle a sob as she looked at the photo. Sebastian was looking at her like she was the only woman in the world, a besotted smile on his face. He was so in love with her it almost felt like I was intruding on their moment.

"I'm really hoping those are happy tears," I said, a little alarmed at her response. "Are they?"

"Yeah, they are," she said, pulling me in for a hug. "We still won't say anything to the public for a while, but we're dating. He just makes me so _happy_ , Megan."

"I'm so happy for you guys! I call flower girl at your wedding!"

She half-laughed /half-sobbed and wiped her eyes. "I think you're going to have to fight Gracie for that position if it comes down to it, kiddo. How about bridesmaid instead?"

I did a victory dance. "Deal! So tell me what you _do_ know about this mysterious note you left me today."

"Well, I just wrote what Scott told me to, so I assumed _someone_ has an agenda today."

"Someone being Chris?" I asked shrewdly. I should have known he wasn't going to give up, but I was also a little pleased at the attention from him.

"Most likely. He was pretty upset about you going with Tom last night."

I sighed. "So I heard. We already talked about that and he admitted that he was jealous. I don't know why he'd be jealous, though; it's not like I'm going to date either one of them."

"Why not?" Sadie asked in surprise. "It's obvious to me that they both like you."

"Right now I'm just the shiny new toy or something - it's a phase, it'll pass. In three weeks we're done here in California and then it's on to Atlanta. By then they'll both have found someone else to be interested in... I don't think they're really that into me - they'll get over this fast."

"What if they don't? What if they really do like you and this isn't just a phase? We've still got four more months of filming left for just this movie. At some point, you're going to have to choose between them and I don't envy you. I think it's high time they both settled down and started families."

Not that I'd really put much thought into it, but I just didn't know how a relationship with either of them could work; they both were in such high demand right now. I saw their calendars when all of us assistants sat down to work out logistics for upcoming appearances. As a rule of thumb, they were gone for months at a time and filming tended to run for 12 hours a day, so contact would be sporadic at best if Sadie wasn't working on the same film. I didn't know if that would be enough. Her comment made me think of something else, another reason why I didn't want to get involved with either of them if that's what they wanted.

"They won't get that with me, Sadie. I can't have kids. I'm a genetic dead-end."

"What do you mean?" she asked, thinking she'd misheard me somehow.

I turned to look at her, meeting sympathetic chocolate brown eyes. "I mean I physically can't ever have kids; two separate specialists in Denver confirmed it when I was in high school."

"Do you know why?"   

I nodded. "It's pretty technical, but long story short – I can't get pregnant without some sort of divine intervention and heaven knows I'm no saint, so that's out of the question."

"I'm sorry," she said, touching my face gently before pulling me into a hug. "Even though words are an entirely inadequate means of expressing my regrets."

"It's okay," I replied with a shrug. "If I ever fall in love and decide to settle down with someone, there's always adoption. I think my mom was more upset than I was when we found out. She was already a grandma by then and was hoping for a lot more grand-babies - not that she wanted me to get knocked up in college - but she wanted me to have the possibility."

Sadie's eyes were bright with unshed tears. "My heart hurts for you honey, but the right man won't care about that."

"I hope so; it'll have to be enough. I know for some guys it's not the same as having kids of their own and I get where they're coming from – it's just not something I can change." 

"I'm going to cry again if we don't change the subject," Sadie said, fanning her face with her hands. "Humor me - if you had to choose right now, who would you choose? Chris or Tom?"

I considered that for a moment, finishing brushing my hair. "I don't know; that's a tough one. They both seem like nice guys even though I haven't known them very long."

"That's true, they both are very nice men. Who's the better kisser?"

I smiled to myself, working my hair into a kinda messy fishtail braid. "Flip a coin. They're both really good kissers, but Chris' jealousy concerns me, Sadie. I can't do that again; I can't stay with someone who gets jealous for no reason. I have learned from my mistakes, believe it or not."

"I know you have, but he's nothing like Andy, Megan."

"I really hope he's not," I sighed. "Otherwise today is going to be super awkward."

"I know he'd never hurt you." She gestured to my back. "You're healing well, though. What did you tell Vi when you asked for her help?"

"The truth. She already knew something was going on when I moved in with Baz, but she promised to keep quiet about it since I'd gotten legal protection from him." I slid on my shirt and found a pair of comfy flats. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful. He's going to be speechless."

I only laughed; the Chris Evans I knew was never speechless. "If that happens, film it for me so I can use it for blackmail."

Sadie laughed. "On it. Guess that means I better beat you downstairs."

"Yup. Will you make sure Satan goes with you? I don't want to fall down the stairs again."

"Dodger sure does love you, but thank goodness it was only three steps!"

"I'd like it if he loved me a little less," I muttered, grabbing my purse and putting a few essentials in it, just guessing because I didn't know what I needed today.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Put this on when you get to the bottom of the steps," Sadie said, handing me a blindfold on her way out. "And give me a minute to get in place."

I sighed deeply. "Did I mention how much I hate surprises?"

"Preaching to the choir, honey," Sadie said with a heartfelt sigh of her own. "But the guys love them so much. At least most of the time they're good surprises."

"I'll take your word on that," I said with a smile, shaking my head. I wondered what we were going to be doing today.

 


	16. Mistaken Identity

Chris' POV

"Scott, where are we going?" Megan asked from her position in my brother's arms. She was so small he could easily carry her, too. "I _can_ walk, you know."

"You'll just have to wait and see," Scott said, giving me a grin. He was loving being a part of my plan, I could tell. "And it's really just easier to carry you, Meg. You're less likely to fall or break a shoe or something. Put your hands down and leave the blindfold alone."

"Jerk. Break a shoe one time - and I can't see through this blindfold! You're really not going to tell me?"

"Nope." He set her down in the front seat of my car and buckled her in. "Do me a favor and stay put while I grab a couple things, okay?"

"Okay," she said, obediently folding her hands in her lap and laying her head back on the headrest when he shut the door.

"Thank you, doll," I murmured as I kissed Sadie's cheek when she handed me the bag she'd packed for Megan. I tossed it in the trunk with mine and shut it; since I'd made reservations for dinner at a nice restaurant tonight, this way we wouldn't have to come back here first to change. I gave my brother a hug. "Thanks again, Scottie - I owe you one," I whispered.

He gave me a big grin. "Happy to help, bro."

I climbed in the car, setting the GPS and taking off, not saying anything to Megan yet.

"Chris, can I take this off now?" Megan asked, reaching up to touch her blindfold.

"Sure. How'd you know it was me?" I asked when she slipped the fabric off, folding her arms and looking over at me, certain that I hadn't done anything to give myself away.

"You and Scott wear different cologne. Why the secrecy?"

"I didn't think you'd come with me if I asked - even if I asked nicely."

She snorted, raising an eyebrow. "So you decided kidnapping is the answer? We need to discuss your thought processes, Evans."

She sat back and looked out the window at the scenery passing us by until she suddenly turned the radio up, happily singing along with the song. I was pleasantly surprised to find she had an excellent singing voice. I smiled at her spontaneity and sang along with her, laughing when my tongue tripped over the words. Megan kept going, singing the next song, too - which was a blend of English and Spanish, getting into it and even almost dancing in her seat. I wished I could record it - it was just one of those moments I knew I'd never forget.

"Did you memorize the song?" I asked when she was done. "I don't even know what that song's really about."

"Yes, I can't say I like Bieber but I really like this song - it's something else! But yes, I also speak fluent Spanish... and French... as well as some German," she said giving me a smile.

"Overachiever."

"Don't you speak any other languages?"

I shook my head. "Just the important phrases. Languages aren't really my thing."

*  *

"We're going horseback riding?" she asked when we got to the location a half hour later, seeing the sign on the way in to the ranch.

"Why not? I like riding; Sadie got me started on it this summer."

She threw herself at me, catching me off guard as she wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me tightly. I put my arms around her, just enjoying the moment and the feel of her body pressed to mine. I could feel myself hardening as the smell of her shampoo reached me, the wind tossing her hair around us. I raised one hand to contain the silky strands, keeping them from blowing wildly into my face.

"I've missed riding so much! My cousins had a ranch about an hour from Colorado Springs and we used to go there all the time growing up."

She took my hand and drug me to the paddock, laughing when the horses there came up to nose at us, looking for treats. I snuck a couple pictures of her with them, her natural exuberance breathtakingly refreshing. It was like I was getting to see a side of her that not everyone did.

Megan rode really well, and I could tell she was pleased that I kept up with her.

"Cowboy Steve," she laughed. "All you're missing is the boots and the hat. We've got to get you a Stetson!" She snapped a few pictures of us together on the trail ride before convincing our guide to pick up the pace so we could gallop for a while on a nice flat stretch.

"That was great – I'm going to be sooo sore tomorrow!" she said as we walked out to the car hand in hand. The longer we spent together, the more physical contact she allowed. I kept her hand in mine as we pulled out from the ranch onto the highway, heading to the next place I had Josh set up reservations for us.

"I think that horse would have followed you home if you let it," I teased her. "Mine hated me."

"He knew you were afraid of him."    

"I wasn't afraid of him," I protested. She gave me a look and laughed. "Okay, maybe a little. He kept trying to bite me. Vi will kill me if I make her have to cover anything more every day."

*           *

When she saw the sign for gondola tours as we walked down to the picturesque lake Megan dug her feet in, refusing to move.

"What's wrong?" I asked, turning to look back at her, taking her hand in mine.

"I should probably tell you now that boats and I don't mix," she admitted, a light flush on her cheeks. "I get extremely seasick in a very short amount of time."

"Even on a calm day with no waves?" I asked. "Is that why you didn't want to come out with us at the lake?"

"Yup – and I was still pissed at you then. I'll be hanging my head over the side of the boat in minutes. Roller coasters – no problem; flying and turbulence – no problem; rough roads, okay _most_ of the time. Boats – can't do them with drugging myself."

"Then we go with plan B," I said, shaking my head. "Give me a minute to square things away and we'll get out of here."

"Thank you," she said quietly, going up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek in gratitude. I moved at the last second, capturing her lips with mine and kissing her soundly, not even caring that we were in public.

"Chris!" she exclaimed, eyes darting around to see if anyone had noticed and relaxing when it was clear they hadn't. "You can't do things like that. Someone might see."

"I don't care who sees, Megan. I couldn't help it - those lips of yours were just begging to be kissed." I kissed her again, chuckling when she nipped my lower lip and pulled away from me.

"Behave. I have no desire to be in the tabloids."

"But it's no fun to behave," I whined, pulling her back in for a hug. "Who cares what the tabloids say?"

"I do," she said seriously, meeting my eyes, her forest green ones troubled. "If Sadie wants to keep her and Baz's relationship quiet, I can't have the paps following me around even more than they do now."

After being tagged in our Instagram posts and being on national TV with us, she had a valid concern. They would try to use her to get to us and with her bright red hair, she was easy to pick out of a crowd.  I decided she should walk with me down to the booth to talk to the gondola tour operator while we talked.

"Are you worried about what they'll say if we're seen out together today?"

"A little - especially since I was seen out with Tom all last night. If I get a reputation as a gold-digging slut, it'll rub off on Sadie and that's the last thing I want."

"You aren't and you won't," I said. "Nothing could be further from the truth considering I practically had to kidnap you to get you to go out with me today."

"I suppose," she said doubtfully, wrinkling her nose at me. "You did do that."

"I did; I also did as you asked and talked to Tom today while you were taking your nap."

"You did? Really?" She gave me a big smile, and squeezed my waist with her arm, making me even more glad I'd talked to him.

Tom unfortunately hadn't missed my poor behavior and had guessed the reason for it. He wasn't going to stop pursuing Megan, but he wasn't going to stand in my way if I would agree to do the same, leaving the choice up to her. A slow smile spread across my face.

"Really. We talked for a long time and we agreed to have our publicists make sure that there wouldn't be any negative fallout."

My publicist had been against me getting involved with Megan even though my people hadn't found anything negative about her the background search I'd asked them to run when Sadie first hired Megan. My publicist just liked it when I was single because then there was more fan interest in me than when I was in a relationship. To her benefit, in all of Tom's interviews last night he'd only called her a dear friend, nothing more. I'd only said Megan was a friend when that video of Lizzie's went viral, so the paps could speculate all they wanted, but if neither of us claimed any special involvement with a woman, they really couldn't do anything about it other than follow us and try to get proof there's more to the relationship than just friends.

"So you and Tom are good again?" she asked, studying my face.

"Yep, and you were right. He did need a friend."

I let go of her to go talk to the operator, explaining that since I'd surprised her, I hadn't known my girl couldn't do boats until now. It was all prepaid, so I asked if he could just give our ride to the next couple that booked one. When he agreed and wanted to know if I'd give my name, I suggested that it could be a pay it forward kind of thing.  I scrawled a quick note and tipped him for his troubles.

*           *

"I didn't take you for the stargazer type," Megan said, looking over at me with amusement as we strolled through the parking lot on our way in to the observatory.

"You don't like observatories?"

"I love them," she said simply. "Looking out over the galaxies and wondering if there's life out there. There's something very peaceful about just being under the stars, not that you can see them well here."

"I agree," I said, taking her hand in mine as we strolled, just another couple in the crowd. She didn't pull her hand away, just raising one eyebrow and quirking her lips. I paid for us to get in and just watched her taking everything in. I'd been here many times, but with her it felt like the first time.

"So do you think there's life out there?" I asked quietly as we watched a presentation in the theater.

"Yup. How in all of that," she gestured at the galaxy shown above us, "could we possibly be alone?"

"Sometimes it makes me feel so...small...in the grand scheme of things." I admitted.

"That's the point - we are small; in a hundred years no one will remember me."

"I will," I said quietly, putting my arm around her.

She chuckled. "You won't be around in a hundred years unless you're planning on pulling a Steve Rogers and going for world's longest ice bucket champ."

I snorted. "Not really - I let my family douse me for that and it was bad enough. Then your kids will remember you," I suggested. I assumed she was like most women and wanted a family eventually. I'd noticed that she'd been really good with Isaac and Liam, and I knew she'd been a nanny for while so she probably liked kids.

She was quiet for a long time, her expression troubled. I squeezed her hand, getting her to look at me. "I can't have kids," she finally said, tipping her face up to look at me.

"What?" That was the last thing I expected to hear, honestly.

She glanced up at me, meeting my eyes briefly. "Long story short – I can't get pregnant without some sort of divine intervention and heaven knows I'm no saint, so that's out of the question."

"I'm sorry," I said, pulling her close and kissing her temple, even though words were an entirely inadequate means of expressing my regrets to her.

"It's okay," Megan said, patting my chest. I stroked her face lightly while struggling to come to terms with what she was telling me. "I think my mom was more upset than I was."

"My mom's the same way. Now that both my sisters have kids she's been focused on me."

"She gave up on Scott already?"

"Not really – I'm two years older than he is, so I get to be her next priority since both my sisters are married and have kids," I explained, taking her hand in mine again as the show ended and we left the theatre.

"Lucky you," she said with a laugh.

I smiled in anticipation. "Wait until you meet her, Megan. She's gonna love you."

"I'm not meeting your mom, Chris - or your sisters," she stated baldly. "Not happening."

"Why not? You're going to spending a whole day in Boston with me and they're all right there; not to mention that if I _don't_ bring you by to meet them I'll never hear the end of it. They'll make excuses to stop by my condo or something until they do meet you."

She worried her lower lip between her teeth before reaching a decision. "Fine, but you better not tell them I'm your girlfriend _because I'm not_."

"Then what do you call this if its not a date?"

She shrugged. "It's either a kidnapping or two friends hanging out, you pick. You didn't ask me out on a date."

"Then let me remedy that. Megan, will you go on a date with me on Saturday?"

"I'll think about it, Evans. Ask me again later when you've had time to think."

"I'm not going to change my mind just because of _that_."

"Others have," she said simply, shrugging dismissively. "Most guys want kids of their own so why waste time dating me if I can't give them that someday? It's better you know now than later."

I was flabbergasted; I didn't even know what to say to that, and I think Megan knew it. She pulled her hand from mine and walked over to the ladies room, giving me time to pull myself together. I think I was more upset right now than she was, but she'd had a while to come to terms with it. I'd always wanted kids, a whole bunch of them, so to find out that wasn't an option was going to take time to absorb.

*       *

"So if this wasn't a date, do I still get a goodnight kiss?" I asked as we walked up to my front door hand in hand, fingers loosely linked. I was incredibly happy that I didn't have to say goodbye, only goodnight once we got inside; if I was _really_ lucky, maybe not even then.

"What happened to the Chris Evans I spent most of the day with?" Megan asked, looking up at me with a playful smirk.

"I'm just a man, Megan." I brought one hand up to touch her face, tipping it up slightly as I lowered my lips to hers and stopping millimeters from contact. "May I kiss you?"

She answered by closing the distance, going up on her toes to reach me. I felt her running one hand through my hair as the other hand rested at my waist. A half step forward had her gasping as her body brushed mine, the electricity between us palpable. We were both breathing hard when she broke the kiss and lowered herself back down from her toes.

"Goodnight, Chris. I really had a great time with you today," she said, letting go of me to go inside. I caught her hand in mine, pulling her back to me for one more kiss.

"Don't sound so surprised about that," I teased her. I stared into her eyes for a long moment.

"What?"

"I don't want to say goodnight," I admitted.

"Then don't," she replied, lips quirked slightly. "Say see you in the morning instead."

She slipped away from me, going inside. I stood out there for a minute, just thinking about how great of a day we'd had together. She popped her head out the door and laughed at me.

"You coming? I'll make popcorn if you'll put in the movie. I just want to shower first and get the smell of horse off me."

"Yeah," I said, walking inside and shutting the door. "What're we watching?"

" _Ant Man_. Paul's been bugging me to watch his movie."

I lost it, laughing hard and grabbing my pec. "You didn't!"

"I did," she grinned, going upstairs to get cleaned up.

 

*     *         *

Megan's POV

I walked through the employee entrance and quickly orientated myself, heading to where I'd find Sadie's shooting schedule for the day. Checking the time, I figured Sadie should be about done with hair and makeup by now, so I went to find her. I'd had to run a few errands this morning, so I'd left the house long before Chris and Sadie. Sadie had given me the afternoon off so I could get my stuff over to my cousins' house and get settled in before I had to be at the Hemsworth's to babysit tonight.

*    *

"And then it's just a matter of how long it takes for them to be happy with that scene," I agreed, looking over at Sadie as we stepped outside to cross the lot to our set for the next couple weeks. The wind came up suddenly and blew my hair into my face, temporarily blinding me. I stopped walking, afraid of what or who I'd run into. It took me a moment but I got it all out of my face and started to catch up with Sadie, who'd kept walking, still replying to a text from her son.

"You're late!" a strange man said to me, suddenly grabbing my hand and tugging me in a different direction. "Where the hell have you been? You were supposed to be here an hour ago! The set is this way."

"I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong person," I tried to say, only to have him talk over me.

"You know Mr Martin doesn't like to be kept waiting. Thank God you're already in costume."

"I don't know who you think I am, but I'm not her," I said, digging in my heels and refusing to move further, pulling my hand from his grip. "I'm Megan Jones, Sadie Wilson's assistant." I showed him my credentials and he stared at me in amazement, his earlier haste forgotten.

"Sorry – I just can't believe it!" He inspected me closer, jaw dropped in surprise. "It's uncanny, really. You could be her twin."

"Her who?" I asked, still confused. "I'm the only redhead here today that I've seen."

"Allison Lucky," he answered, still staring at me.

"Never heard of her."

"British model, actress, singer, et cetera. How's it possible that you're wearing the exact same outfit I gave her last night for this video?"

"I just got this shirt last week at a little boutique, so it's not the only one in town."

"But your eyes and hair – that shade of red hair is impossible to fake."

"Well, I _was_ born with it – it's definitely not L'Oréal or Maybelline," I said impatiently, ready to be on my way now that he knew I wasn't who he was looking for.

"Megan, what's the holdup?" Sadie asked, coming over to us and looking from me to the stranger curiously. "Did my schedule get changed?"

"Sorry, Sadie – I must have a doppelganger. He thinks I'm some other redhead that's supposed to be filming something here today on one of the other sets."

"Oh," she said, taken aback for an instant before giving him a polite smile. "Sorry sir, but this _really is_ my assistant, Megan Jones, and we need to be getting to the set."

"Please tell me you can follow basic instructions and dance a bit," the man begged, looking back at me. "If you can sing, even better, but I'd settle for lip syncing at this point, honestly."

I raised an eyebrow at him but nodded. "Yes, to all of the above but why do you need to know?"

"Excellent. Mrs Wilson, can I borrow your assistant for a couple hours? We really need to get this video finished today and she's perfect – especially since I can't find the girl that's supposed to be here."

"What kind of video?" Sadie asked suspiciously, studying his expressions.

"Shawn Mendes' latest music video for a brand new unreleased song. I'll make sure you're amply compensated for your time, Megan."

Sadie and I exchanged a look, hers mostly amused. "Well, Megan – it's up to you; I'll be fine for while, so maybe you should give this a shot."

"You're sure, Sadie?"

She grinned and waved me on. "You spoil me, kid. Go on – I can't wait to see the look on the guys' face when I tell them this one! Tell Shawn I like his music."

"Sure, right after I take a selfie with him," I teased, rolling my eyes. "You know Baz's going to want proof."

"I do even if he didn't," Sadie said. "You know where I'll be when you get done with this - and find out when the video's supposed to be released so we can watch for it."

"All right, I'll do it – Mr?"

"Thank you so much! Just call me James. Follow me and I'll fill you in on the way."

* *

"So if all the other stuff's already filmed, are you _sure_ it won't matter that I'm not her?" I asked doubtfully.

"Positive; if she ever shows up you'll see for yourself how identical you are. I want you to go up and give Shawn a big hug and see if he can tell the difference; I bet you he can't."

"All right, I guess. That's him in the blue, right?" I asked, nodding to a tall, slim brunet talking to some other guys, all in their late teens or early 20's. Friends of his or band members, I assumed. At this point I didn't have anything to lose, so why not?

"Yup. Put your lanyard in your bag and let's give it a go, yeah?" James said, giving me an anticipatory grin. "I've got a couple things to finish prepping before we start."

I nodded and tucked my credentials in my purse, taking a deep breath before approaching the group of guys. Shawn saw me approaching and his face lit up so much I felt a little guilty for impersonating someone who apparently meant a lot to him.

"Ali – what took you so long?" He asked as he pulled me in for a tight hug, which I returned. Thankfully, I'd healed enough that it wasn't a stabbing pain when someone touched my bruises anymore.

James had said Allison was British, so I adopted that accent, thankful it was one of my better ones. "Sorry – traffic was simply _horrible_ this morning. An accident shut down the loop for at least an hour." That was true - I just heard about it after the fact from Josh, who had to come in that way.

"Well you're here now. Ready to get started?" he asked, letting go of me, eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Ready if you are. Remind me - what is it I'm doing again?"

Shawn laughed hard - I knew Chris would have been damn near on the floor if it were him laughing. "Nice one! We talked about this the other night for like an hour."

I raised an eyebrow. I must be pretty spot on with my accent if he hadn't noticed a difference yet. "That doesn't mean you didn't change your mind _again_." I speculated, knowing how filming went well enough from watching the Russos and the main Avengers. They got a little more leeway than the supporting actors with their lines and blocking.

"True."

James came up then and smirked at me. "Told you."

I shrugged, dropping the accent. "You were right, James. Good thing I didn't put money on it."

"Shawn, I have a small confession to make – this isn't Allison. I can't get a hold of her and I found Megan here already on the lot."

The younger man studied me closer and shook his head. "It's uncanny, Jim. I really thought she was Alli. She even sounded like her."

"Sorry, I do a really good British accent so I couldn't resist. It was James' idea to see if I was a close enough match for your video." I held out my hand to him. "I'm Megan Jones – Sadie Wilson's PA."

"Sadie Wilson," he said thoughtfully before snapping his fingers. "Oh – you were the one dancing with Captain America on _Ellen_ , right?"

I blushed. "Yeah, that would be me. So if someone will walk me through what it is you want me to do I'll give it my best try. Just warning you, I'm not really an actress, though."

Shawn nodded his approval. "Of course! Thanks for coming to the rescue, Megan – I can't do this without you and we don't have time to postpone again. We need to get this done today so Jay will have enough time to do his thing for the release next week."

I'd never seen how they filmed a music video, so it was a little weird at first. I had to get a lot more makeup put on and my hair adjusted, but by the time that was done I understood what they wanted me to do – pretend to be Shawn's girlfriend and sing along with him.

"Can you follow my lead?" he asked. "I'm not the best dancer, but I do have the choreography down."

"I can try," I said, giving him my hand with a grin. "Promise not to step on my toes?"

"I can promise no such thing," he said with a little smirk, slowly moving through the choreography. It was similar to a routine I'd learned in high school for dance team, so I picked it up fast. I always found it amazing that I could be such a klutz otherwise but was perfectly fine on the dance floor. "Is it strange that I feel like I've known you forever?"

"Not at all. I get that all the time from famous people," I teased him.

He laughed. "I can see that."

"I really enjoy listening to your music, by the way. Sadie does, too. Just going to put that out there. So where are you from originally?"

"Canada – and no, I don't speak French well."

<That's a shame. It's such a beautiful language.> I said in French, making his eyes widen in surprise.

<I didn't say I can't speak it; I just don't speak it well,> he said in his defense.

"You weren't kidding," I said with a giggle. "Your accent is...different."

"Yours is quite good, actually. You didn't even sound American."

"I learned it at a young age and it helps that I'm from the Midwest. We don't have a distinct accent like some parts of the country. So tell me about this song. Did you write it?"

"Yeah, me and Teddy Geiger – we write a lot of stuff together, just bouncing ideas off each other."

"Is he here today?" I asked, looking around at the assorted guys on the set.

"No, he couldn't be here today; he was there for the rest of the filming, though. I think you've got that down pretty well, so lets move on." He let go of me and gestured for me to follow him over to the piano on set. He handed me some sheet music and pointed to where we were going to start. "Can you sing?"

"Yes - am I doing melody or harmony?"

"Harmony. Lets run through it a couple times while they finish setting up, okay?"

Shawn sat down at the piano on set and started playing; he sang it alone once so I could hear the whole thing and the whole experience was a little surreal - Shawn Mendes was singing just for me. I pulled myself back together quickly and sat down on the bench beside him. I really liked the song, so by the time we'd went through it together twice I was where I was supposed to be vocally. I hadn't sung with just a tenor lead in a while, so it was more a matter of adjusting my voice to his; he was a very good singer already for someone so young, only 19.

When he finished the song he looked over at me and smiled. "I think you've got it – are you sure you haven't done this before?"

"I'm positive," I said firmly. "Just tell me if I'm not doing something right, okay?"

"I'm sure _someone_ will," Shawn replied dryly. "Just keep going even if you don't remember the steps or if you mess up unless Jay says cut. Ready?"

I shrugged and stood up, walking beside him over to the director. "Not really, but let's do this. Doesn't look like James got ahold of Allison yet."

"I'm a little worried. It isn't like Alli to be late for something like this."

"I hope everything's okay with her. She must be important to you."

"She's a good friend. It's still a little weird how much you look like her, but your personalities are very different, though."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Good," Shawn said with a smile. "You're a lot less serious."

I snorted. "Well, this isn't exactly my day job, so I don't have to be serious about it. If they don't like what I do, they just don't use those parts or I keep doing it until they like it."

"Huh. That's true, I suppose. Might as well have a little fun with it, right?"

"There's nothing holding you back," I said with a smile, misquoting one of his songs. He burst into laughter, drawing attention to us again before giving me a high five.

"I can't believe you quoted my own song to me, Megan."

"Five points to Gryffindor?" I murmured, setting him off again. I gave him a serious look, wiping the smile from my face to deadpan, "Time to pay attention, Shawn. They're looking at you funny."

"You little..." he looked at me and shook his head. "Way to throw me under the bus there."

" _De rien_ ," I said sweetly, blinking up at him innocently. "Or maybe you prefer _bienvenue_?"

Shawn shook his head at me again and smiled before suddenly picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder, carrying me over to the director. _Guess that means I won_ , I thought to myself, shifting to make myself comfortable. This wasn't a new thing for me by any means. Whenever I got carried around like this, it usually meant they guy involved didn't have a comeback.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> de rien - no problem
> 
> bienvenue - you're welcome (Canadian French only)


	17. Hello Mr Mendes

Megan's POV

I learned that when you film a music video you get to hear bits and pieces of that song over and over again a crazy amount of times. Luckily, I didn't really have to do as much as Shawn. All of the vocals would be recorded at a sound stage and added in post, so this was just for reference.

The director, Jay, was really hands on and went in a completely different direction than Shawn had led me to think; it turned out he'd really liked the way we'd interacted when I'd been getting my crash courses and wanted to work some of that lightheartedness in. He'd had one of the cameramen surreptitiously filming us with a handheld camera when we were goofing around on the piano and when Shawn was teaching me the steps - little imperfections that suited the nature of the song.

The last scene we filmed was supposed to end with a kiss at the final notes, which I didn't know until we were getting ready to shoot that part.

"Gosh, I wouldn't have eaten an everything bagel for breakfast if I'd known I was going to be getting some action," I teased Shawn. "Next time I'll get lox, too."

"You would, wouldn't you?" he groaned.

"Kidding - Chris ate my everything bagel this morning before I even got downstairs. He said I took too long to get ready."

"You let him get away with that?" Shawn asked, putting his arms around me.

"Nope," I said with a grin. "I ate the cinnamon roll he'd been hiding from Scott instead - and promised Scott I'd get more just for him on my way home - which I did."

"Now Shawn, show me how you intend to kiss Megan," Jay said, coming over to us. "She's a little shorter than Allison, so we may need to make adjustments to make it work."

Shawn leaned down and gave me a fast, nervous peck before looking at the director. Jay had a very specific kind of kiss in mind, so he repositioned us and described what he wanted us to show before having us try again.

"This won't work," he declared. "She's too short Shawn; you're leaning down too far - it's awkward. Someone find a big phonebook for her to stand on."

"Not gonna lie, this isn't the first time I've had to stand on one of those," I said to Shawn with a grin as he laughed. When a crew member came back with a really fat phonebook a few minutes later, I took a picture of me on top of it to send to Sebastian, knowing he'd appreciate it. "Short girl problems. How tall are you?"

"6' 2. You?"

"5' 3 on a good day. But on the plus side I can do this now," I said, putting my arms around his neck as he laughed again. "Amazing how much difference three inches can make!"

"Alright, try that again, Shawn," the director said, having decided the phonebook made me tall enough. "Test shot first to see if this gets you both in frame a little better this time; lets see you kiss her now, Shawn."

Shawn's lips obediently covered mine, one hand on my waist and the other cupping the base of my neck. I angled my face slightly for a better connection, keeping the kiss teasingly soft and sweet. It was a little strange, kissing on demand like this.

"Perfect. Looks a lot better than before. Now do that during this take. Megan, by the time you both hit the last line, you need to be _on_ the phonebook, okay?"

"Got it! Going down!" I said, exaggeratedly hopping down from the phone book as Shawn chuckled. Fifteen takes later, I'd only tripped over the prop twice and Jay was finally happy with the material we'd given him, as exacting as the Russos in his own way.

"That's a wrap, people!"

We got a round of applause from the crew and I let go of Shawn and stepped off the phonebook. "Yay us! Well, back to work for me now. Shawn, if you wouldn't mind, I need some proof for my roomie and Sadie, so would you take a picture with me?"

"Yeah, sure. Jim – would you take a couple pictures of us together for Megan?"

"I took a couple while you guys were filming," James said, taking out his phone. "Do you want me to Airdrop them to you, Megan?"

I smiled delightedly and nodded. "That would be great. Let me turn receiving on and then we'll be good to go."

"Do you think you could maybe give me your number?" Shawn asked with a slight blush, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe we could do lunch the next time I'm in LA? I have to leave tonight for the last leg of my tour."

I turned receiving on and accept Jim's request before holding my hand out for Shawn's phone. "Sure, Shawn; I'd like that. Sadie's got a pretty full filming schedule but maybe our paths will cross again. We head to Atlanta in about two weeks and I'm not sure when we'll be back in LA." I quickly added my number and texted myself before I handed his phone back.

"I'm sure they will. Thanks so much for agreeing to do this, Megan. Do you think it would be possible for me to meet Sadie? My mum and sister think she's the best."

"You're welcome, Shawn." I glanced at my phone to see the time. "Sure, if you want to come with me, they should be wrapping for lunch pretty quick here so Sadie will have a little time to talk to you. You can meet the rest of the cast, too."

"Great! Let me check with Jay to make sure I'm done here and we can be off."

I grabbed my purse and just looked around the set while I waited for Shawn. We'd just turned to leave when another green eyed redhead in similar jeans and the exact same top I was wearing came over to where we were standing. Our eyes widened when we saw exactly how alike we were in looks – the only difference I could see was that she was at least an inch taller than me. "Hello, I'm Megan. You must be Allison?"

"Yes," she said, sounding confused. Her accent was thicker than the one I used but certainly British. "If I didn't know for a fact that I was an only child I'd be calling me mum right now."

"When's your birthday?" I asked, half holding my breath.

"August 6, 1997. You?"

"March 13, 1994," I replied. "It really is crazy. Will you take a picture with me? I want to send it to my mom."

"Same here," she said, grinning. "Mum and Dad are never going to believe it otherwise."

We handed our phones to someone and stood in front of a plain backdrop, posing together for a couple pictures before calling Shawn over from talking to Jay. "Get in here, Mendes! Otherwise you won't have any proof there's two of us."

"My thoughts exactly. Seriously, what are the chances of this happening?" he asked, putting his arm around both of us as a professional photographer took a couple pictures of us all together. "I wouldn't believe it myself if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

*         *            *

Chris' POV

"Who's that kid with Cinnamini?" Anthony asked as he nudged me with his elbow when Megan finally came to the set.

" _That kid_ would be Shawn Mendes," Sebastian said after a glance. "He's been working with Don lately, so I've seen him around the gym occasionally."

"Sadie said she got asked to be in his music video when we were on our way here this morning," I said as we walked over to meet her. We'd just been cut loose for lunch and Sadie was talking animatedly to the young man Megan had brought with her.

"Baz, guess what?" Megan called when she saw we were on the way over, clapping her hands excitedly as she skipped over to meet us, her foot getting caught on a stray cord. "Guess what? Ooops!"

"What?" Seb said, easily catching her before she hit the ground and setting her upright; just another day around Megan. We'd learned early on how accident prone she was and had all gotten good at catching her before she fell. She pushed her hair out of her face with an exasperated motion that I found adorable and gave us a grin.

"Thanks! I've got a doppelganger!" she announced as she pulled her phone out and handed it to Sebastian. "How cool is that? Oh, and Shawn wanted to meet you guys, so be nice. I'm talking to you, Mackie."

"What are you talkin about? I'm the definition of nice, Cinnamini," Anthony complained. "Why aren't you giving your roomie that look? Or Chris?"

"Because I know where they both sleep and I'll get even with them," she said seriously, crossing her arms.

"I'm petrified," Sebastian said with a smirk before his expression changed to surprised. "Holy shit – you _do_ have a doppelganger!"

"It's like being threatened by a Chihuahua," I said with a grin, earning a glare from her.

I hooked one finger through the belt loop of her jeans and tugged her over to me, putting my arms around her and just breathing in her scent. I'd really missed having her around this morning and I wasn't looking forward to her not being there tonight when we went home.

"She has her ways, Choclatino. Don't underestimate her," Sebastian put in, raising one eyebrow when he saw I was holding her.

"I have Sheletta's phone number," she said, getting an arm free and patting Anthony's cheek lightly. "And I know how to use it."

"I'll be nice," Anthony said, rolling his eyes at her. "Go overboard _one_ time..."

"I thought you'd see it my way. You can let go now, Chris. I'm not going to hurt him," Megan said as she wriggled out of my grasp and waved over the singer as soon as she had his attention. Sadie brought him over and he quickly introduced us, pointing to each of us in turn.

"It's great to meet all of you. I've heard a lot about you today," Shawn said as we acknowledged the wide-eyed teenager taking in our costumes with a wave. "This is so cool!"

"Hey man, good to see you again," Sebastian said, still looking at her pictures. "Damn, Roşu. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself. Look at this, punk."

Sebastian handed me her phone and I went back to the beginning, slowly flipped through the photos, thinking the same thing as Anthony looked over my shoulder. The kid immediately went back to his conversation with Sadie, walking with her as she pointed out different parts of the set.

"It's uncanny, Cinnamini - I can barely handle _one_ of you and now we know there's _two_?" Anthony teased Megan. "What am I supposed to call her?"

"I dunno - but I'm older so I'm the original and that makes her the clone," Megan said, making Anthony chuckle. "Baz, now you need a legit pic with Mark Hamill since you're his clone."

"I'll get right on it," Sebastian laughed. "You gunna post these or what?"

"Probably - after I have a chance to look at all of them. I didn't see all of what James sent me earlier. Did you like the phonebook one I sent you?"

I tuned out their banter, thinking it looked like she'd had fun doing the video. Whoever took the pictures really did a good job of catching Megan's essence, playful, fun-loving, and accident prone. I chuckled when I reached the one of her standing on the phonebook - he was taller than me, so she must've been out of frame without the boost.

Without warning, I reached one that made me sick to my stomach – Shawn was _kissing_ Megan - and it wasn't a friendly peck on the cheek, either. I roughly slapped the phone into Sebastian's gut, his eyes widened as he looked at the picture before looking back over at me.

"Punk, you look like you're gonna hurl." Sebastian said in a low voice.

"Haven't ruled it out yet," I groaned, hanging onto control by my fingernails, my anxiety starting to overwhelm me.

"Breathe. It was acting for a goddamn music video," Sebastian said. "Didn't mean anything. Nothing different than you kissing Emily for this movie - or the last one, for that matter. Just take a deep breath and let it out slowly, okay?"

I took a deep breath and nodded as he continued to try reasoning with me. Thankfully, Megan had wandered over to talk to Sadie and Shawn. I don't know what would've happened if she'd been standing right there when I saw it. All I knew was that I felt betrayed and the sight of her laughing up at him was the last straw for me.

"Seb's right, man," Anthony said quietly. "Don't do anything stupid until you've talked to her. Acting is acting, whether it's for this or something else."

"I'm going to punch him," I growled through gritted teeth, intending to walk off the set, but neither Anthony or Sebastian would let me, their hands firm on my arm and shoulder, the positioning of their bodies keeping me from escaping.

"That won't help anyone. You really think she's interested in him? He's even younger than she is," Anthony pointed out.

"So?"

"She brought him to meet Sadie cuz he _asked_ , punk. Didn't you hear her say that? I'm the one that should be worried the way he's talking to Sadie." We looked over at them as Sadie crooked her finger at us and pointed to her phone, telling us to come over for a picture. The young singer was talking with his hands excitedly to Sadie while Megan had her back to us.

"Did you stop to think that Megan was way more excited to tell us about her twin than she was to introduce _him_ to us?"

"Damn straight she was," Anthony put in, his arm on my shoulder letting me know I wasn't going anywhere. "My little nieces love this kid's music so I'm going to go over and take a picture for them and you're coming with."

I started to shake my head but Sebastian subtly punched my side hard enough to get my attention. "Get your ass over there and take the fucking picture, Evans." I met his eyes and saw how serious he was. "I mean it. Sadie said Megan really dislikes this jealous streak, so you need to knock it the hell off. After her last relationship the last thing she needs is another jealous boyfriend. Got it?"

"Got it," I nodded, understanding him perfectly. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, letting them drag me over for the photo.

 

*       *           *

Megan's POV

"So how was acting?" Anthony asked me while we made our way to where the food was set up.

"Tougher than I thought," I groaned. "You guys make it look so _easy_."

"That's cuz we're awesome!" Sebastian put in, looking back at me. "You know how much time we spend on rehearsals, training, and learning lines. Our performances wouldn't be the same if we didn't put the work in to make it great."

"Did they even give you a script or did they just tell you shake your ass?" Anthony asked, bumping hips with me and then quickly grabbing me before I fell, having hit me harder than I was prepared for. "Sorry, kid. You're like a freaking feather or something."

"I'm like half your size! I wasn't expecting you to do that!" I laughed. This wasn't the first time he'd done something like that and it wouldn't be the last. "You've gotta have an ass worth shaking to do that, Choclatino - and I don't. Beyoncé - now she's got an ass worth shaking."

"No argument there," he agreed.

"Didn't think there would be. As for script - they didn't have one. I got walked through the choreography a couple times; does that count?"

"That's it?" Sadie asked, shaking her head. "Wow - either you learn fast or you're just that good."

"The choreography was a lot like one of my high school dance team routines, so that helped and the song was really catchy. It's going to be stuck in my head for a while now, so you better get used to hearing it."

"So when are we going to see your official acting debut?" Chris asked, finally speaking to me.

My eyes flashed to his stormy blue ones before looking away. I didn't know what his problem was now but I'd had it with his mood swings. Yesterday had been almost perfect - no arguments, no stupid shit, nothing -  and I'd hoped that it would last longer than one day, but it hadn't.

"Umm, in a week and a half when the song is officially released," I said, trying to read his mood. "Most of the rest of the video was done already with Allison – they just needed these final bits to finish it off and they couldn't get ahold of her."

"So what was your twin like?" Sebastian asked, handing me a plate.

"She's two years younger than me and she's British. She's a model and actress and I've never heard of her before but she's a big deal over the pond. I wonder if the Toms know her - I'll have to ask them later. She met Shawn at some event a while back and was in one of his other videos, so she was the first one he thought of when they gave him the green light for this one."

"Shawn seems like a nice kid," Sadie remarked. "Very polite."

"He's Canadian."

She snorted. "Well, that explains it then. I've never met an impolite Canadian, have you?"

"Nope – unless you're watching hockey - maybe not even then."

* *

"So you going to tell me why you were pissed at me earlier or are we just gonna pretend it never happened?" I asked Chris as we walked back to the set after lunch. Everyone else had left us behind, having decided to make us work it out.

"I vote for option 2."

" _Chris_ ," I groaned. "Tell me."

He looked away from me, his jaw firm and a muscle in his cheek ticking. "So I saw some pictures on your phone of you... with Shawn."

Well, that wasn't what I was expecting to hear, but it was an explanation of sorts. I didn't like the not-so-subtle jealous vibe I was picking up from him again. This needed to end because he had no reason to be jealous when we were only friends.

"James took them when we were filming and sent them to me. Yes we kissed, but just for the video," I explained, giving him a sidelong glance. "How's that any different than you kissing Emily?"

"It's not, I guess. I just wasn't expecting to see that!" he gestured angrily, his arm coming close to me, and I skittered out of his reach automatically, not even conscious of making the decision to maneuver away from him.

Chris looked at me apologetically before indicating an alcove away from prying eyes. I nodded and stalked off the walkway, crossing my arms and turning to face him.

"I wasn't going to hurt you," he said quietly. "You know that, right?"

"I wouldn't have come in here with you if I thought you'd hurt me," I said slowly. "My mind knows you won't, but I had no control over that reaction. I'd have reacted the same if Baz or Mackie had made that same move towards me - and have more than once. I'm sorry."

"You have no reason to be sorry. Was it the motion itself or because you knew I was upset?"

I let out a deep breath. "I don't know. I've been around you guys enough now that most of the time it's the sudden motion, but you weren't just upset, you were angry. There's a big difference between the two."

"I wasn't angry at you, Megan."

"Don't lie to me; I'm not stupid."

"I never thought you were. If I was angry with anyone, it would be myself for getting so worked up about this. I really like you, Megan." I crossed my arms and waited for him to continue. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "And I thought we have something here. So seeing you... with him -"

I cut him off, not wanting to hear any more. "Chris - I'm not your girlfriend," I said quietly. "I won't deny I'm attracted to you, but I've never given you a reason to think you have some kind of claim on me. We're just friends."

"I know that," he said reflexively. "But I'd like to be more than just friends."

"I can't, Chris. I just can't," I said, my voice shaky. "Can we not-"

Chris pulled me close, wrapping his strong arms around me. His lips claimed mine, cutting me off before I could finish that sentence and driving all rational thought from my mind. Time stopped and everything else faded away. All that mattered was his touch and the feel of his lips on mine as he pulled me so close I couldn't tell where I ended and he began.

"You can't tell me you don't feel something for me, Megan. I know you do," he murmured before kissing me again. "I feel it, too."

He was right - I did feel something for him. I'd tried so hard not to, but I did anyways. Maybe it was time for me to be honest with myself - I still wanted him more than anything. I was breathing hard when I dragged my lips from his, resting my forehead on his chest, the rough material of his costume under my hands grounding me. I'd never kissed Chris when he was wearing his Cap gear before, so it was a little surreal - and a huge turn-on.

"Yeah, I feel it too," I rasped, feeling his heart pounding just as fast as mine. "It scares the hell out of me, Chris." I looked up to meet his steel blue eyes, swallowing hard. "I just can't help thinking that this is going to hurt like hell when it's over."

His eyes widened and he shook his head vehemently. "What if it never has to be over? What if this was our last first kiss?"

I wanted to believe him, I really did. I looked away, tears stinging at the corners of my eyes. "You don't know that. What if... what if you find somebody else and don't need me?"

He tilted my face up and kissed me gently. "I worry about those same things, Meg; but what if I was made for you and you were made for me? I haven't been able to get you out of my head since the first day we met and you crashed into me."

"Really?" I asked, my heart beating faster as I felt my cheeks flushing. 

"Really. What if the reason you keep ending up falling into my arms is because that's where you're meant to be? Right here," he said seriously as he tightened his arms around me slightly.

"I don't know." I hadn't thought of it like that before - maybe it _was_ meant to be.  But right now, I felt like I was where I belonged - in his arms.

"Then let's find out together," he said, kissing my forehead. "I can't stand the thought of not having you in my life, Megan."

"I just don't know if it's a good idea -"

We were interrupted then by someone clearing their throat. "As much as I hate to interrupt, we really have to get back to work, punk," Sebastian said. "You can finish this later. She's not going anywhere."

"I'll be right there, Seb," Chris said, touching my face lightly. "See you later?"

"Not tonight. I have to babysit tonight, remember? And I need to get settled in at my cousins."

"Right. I forgot about that," he said, letting go of me reluctantly after one more kiss. "I wish you'd stay."

"Can't. I promised Mia and Amy; get going before Baz has to drag you back to the set."

"I will if you two don't hurry it up," Sebastian said impatiently. "Even if I do think it's about damn time you got together already."

"Jerk," Chris said, as he was pulled away from me by a determined Sebastian. "Call me later when you have time."

"Go!" I hissed, flushing as red as my hair as Sebastian gave me an approving wink. I was never going to hear the end of this one.

*           *        

I knocked on my cousins front door, parking my suitcase beside me. It was going to be strange being away from Chris and Sadie after spending so much time with them but I was really looking forward to family time, too. We always had so much fun hanging out together.

"Meg! It's about time you got here!" Mia said, opening the door and pulling me into a tight hug. "What took you so long? Come in!"

She let go of me and I grabbed my suitcase, wheeling it into the small house. "I just got done with work an hour ago and then I had to pack," I explained, looking around and taking in their eclectic furniture. "Where's Amy?"

"Making supper. I know it's really early yet but she's got a night shift so we wanted to be able to visit with you before she left for the night. Amy she's here!" Mia hollared towards what I assumed was the kitchen. "I'll show you around quick and then we'll go to the kitchen."

"Great. I don't know if I remembered to tell you, but I have to babysit tonight so I'll be back late."

"Who are you babysitting for?"

"Chris Hemsworth and his wife Elsa. They have three absolutely _adorable_ kids."

"With parents like that, of course they're going to be cute," Mia said, raising her eyebrows at me. "That's like the best gene pool ever! This is your room - it's not huge but it'll do."

"No, it's great. Thanks again for letting me stay here with you guys." I parked my suitcase and tossed my purse on the bed. "It feels more like home that the room I stayed in at Chris'. Kid you not, it was like three times this size with an adjoining bathroom."

"Sweet. I don't know what I'd do with that much room."

"Me either," I said with a shake of my head. "I felt it was just a dream, other than Chris' dog tripping me. Staying with you guys is probably safer for me in the long run. Dodger loves me a little too much." I followed her to the kitchen, listening as she pointed out other rooms.

"Hi Amy!" I said, throwing my arms around my tall blond cousin. "Whatcha makin?"

"Gram's meatballs and spaghetti. It's ready, so we can eat now if you want."

"I want - I haven't had that in forever - did you do the sauce Gram's way, too?"

"Of course! So what's it like being around those hot guys all day?" Amy asked as she handed me a loaded plate. "You gotta give us the deets."

I laughed at her waggling eyebrows. "Tempting, but they _know_ how hot they are."

"Of course they do - they're famous!" Mia said, taking a seat across from me.

"Have you kissed any of them?" Amy asked. "I saw your Insta and how you went on dates with Chris Evans _and_ Tom Hiddleston, you lucky duck you."

I couldn't hide my blush, leading to more questions that I did my best to dodge. I'd forgotten how tenacious they could be when they wanted to know something. I managed to avoid answering those questions by telling them about my twin, to my amusement, learning Mia also had a huge crush on Shawn Mendes.

I finally looked at the time as I finished my food. "Sorry to eat and run, but I've got to get going soon to meet the kids and give them time to get used to me. Do you have a key I can use?"

 


	18. Tough Choices

Chris' POV

When Sadie and I left the studio to go home that night without Megan, it was like I'd forgotten something. Even the ride home was quieter than usual without her chattering with Sadie about something or other. Sadie called her sons to check on them during the ride home, putting them on speaker so we could both talk. On the bright side, we got Sadie to agree to bring the boys to my mom's house for Thanksgiving, so she said she'd have Megan get their tickets squared away first thing Monday.

"Sorry, boy," I sighed when Dodger came running to meet us at the door and looked expectantly for Megan, just as disappointed as I was that she wasn't there. Sadie and I gave him a little extra attention, but it wasn't the same.  It was amazing how quickly and thoroughly she'd made herself a part of our lives; it was going to be a long week and a half without her here.

Scott heard us get home and came into the kitchen to help make dinner. "It's sure quiet without Megan singing something or other to annoy me. I talked to her earlier when she came to pack her bags."

"Or arguing with you about stupid stuff," I agreed. "You guys have the weirdest arguments. Did she say anything to you?"

Scott glanced over at Sadie before he gave me a look that said we'd talk later. "I made her give me her cousins address and phone numbers."

"I have them too," Sadie said as she pulled ingredients out of the fridge. "Did she tell you she got to film a music video today?"

"For who? She showed me a picture of her doppelganger and _holy shit_ , they're identical!"

"I know!"

"But she didn't say anything about a music video. To be fair, I had to get going to meet up with some friends so we didn't talk for long."

"Shawn Mendes. Josh says he records a lot of stuff for _The Descendants_ \- one of those newer Disney Channel shows."

"Oh - he sings _Stitches._ You've heard it before - I know you have." He hummed a little bit and I nodded, recognizing the song now. I'd heard Megan singing it before. No wonder she'd said yes when she found out who it was going to be with.

"It's a little funny that she knows a singer on sight but not a lot of actors until you mention a name or a really well known movie."

"I don't think she watches a lot of TV, Chris. Have you seen her music collection, though? She's a total audiophile."

"I will totally agree with that assessment," Sadie said.  "She's even got me listening to a lot of different stuff since she made me a new playlist and introduced me to Spotify. She's got pretty good taste, too." 

*     *

Scott, Dodger, and Sadie did a pretty good job of keeping me distracted, but at least a hundred times I had to stop myself from picking up my phone to call her because I knew she was babysitting tonight and wouldn't have time to talk. I settled on a quick text around 8 just so I could settle down.

_Me: How are things going_ _Mary Poppins?_

_**Megan: India is braiding my hair and** _**we're watching** _ ******_ The Little Mermaid _ ** **_._ ** _

**_Her choice, not mine._ **

_Me: Do they think you're Ariel?_

**_Megan: No comment. I'm a little_ ** **_busy now, but I'll text_ ** **_you when they go to_ ** **_sleep. K?_ **

 

A while later I got a text from her and smiled when I read it.

**_Megan: Still got my blanket_ ** **_fort skills!!_ **

_Me: I see that. I love blanket _forts! You can make one__ __with me anytime baby._ _ **_  
  
_ **

*            *           *

Megan's POV

I laughed quietly when I got Chris' text and accepted his FaceTime call before the ringing could wake the kids. He'd showered and changed, putting on a plain white t-shirt that fit him just right and was wearing one of his favorite hats.

"Hey. How was the rest of the day?" I asked, settling back into the couch.

_It would've been better if you were there. I missed having you around today. It was weird going home with Sadie without you - like we forgot you or something. Looks like India's gotten better at braiding from the last picture I saw._

I smiled and played with the end of my braid. "Not really. I had to fix it - it kept coming apart. Then both the boys wanted _their_ hair braided once they saw India and I had braids. They looked adorable, by the way."

Chris laughed, throwing his head back. I quickly shushed him, not wanting him to wake the kids. _I wish I could see Chris' expression when he sees his boys in braids._

"I already sent Elsa a picture of all of us with them when she texted asking how everything was going. So did you get a lot of crap from Baz? I got a bunch of texts from everyone since I wasn't there for the rest of the day."

 _Not a lot from Seb but from everyone else, yeah._   He rubbed his beard sheepishly, his grin a little embarrassed but mostly happy. _Do you have any plans for tomorrow night?_

"Not yet. Why?"

_Want to have dinner at my place and watch a movie?_

"Sure," I said, hearing  a noise coming from one of the kids. "Hold on, I'm gonna check on the kids again." I set my phone down and went over to the fort.

Sure enough, Sasha had woken up. He was fussing loud enough that if I didn't move him he was going to wake the other two, so I picked him up and carried him over to the couch with me. I let him snuggle into me, his chubby little hands playing with the end of my braid as he sucked on his paci. All three kids were fascinated by my hair, the bright color catching their eyes and it was soft, so they loved to pet me. Most of the movie had been spent with them messing with my hair, honestly. They were really good about not pulling on it, so I didn't mind.

I chuckled when picked my phone back up to see Dodger right there, nosing at Chris' phone. "Hey Dodger. Whatcha doing, boy?" I said, watching the dog look around, ears perking up and tongue hanging out.

"Puppy?" Sasha said, pulling out his paci and pointing at the dog. "Puppy?"

"Yup, that's a big puppy. Can you say hi to Chris, Sasha?"

The little boy waved tiredly and kept pointing at the dog with a grin. Dodger was still looking around, hearing me but not seeing me until Chris got him to look at his phone. _See, there she is, boy. Someone else missed you today, babe. He was pretty upset when you didn't come home with us._

I snorted quietly, startling Sasha. "Sorry buddy. Didn't mean to scare you," I told him, softly stroking his chubby baby cheek. He put his paci back in and went back to messing with my hair, so I was forgiven. "Nice try on the guilt trip, but I gave him attention earlier when I came to pick up my stuff this afternoon."

 _It's not the same. Looks like the kids like you - or at least this one_ , he teased me as he absorbed the sight of the toddler comfortably draped over me, one hand working the ponytail holder off and undoing my braid to play with my hair, winding the soft locks round his fingers. Chris probably didn't realize how much his face gave away what he was thinking, but I did. I could see the naked longing on his face and knew what he was thinking. I decided to cut the conversation short as Sasha reached for the phone suddenly, giving me the perfect opening.

"Yeah, they do. Hey Chris, I'm going to try and get him back to sleep, so I'll text you tomorrow, okay?"

The wide, happy smile he beamed at me made it a little hard for me to catch my breath. It was a little unsettling to be the focus of his attention at times but it was great to see him being himself for a change, not Cap or Steve; funny, not too serious and just happy. I always thought Chris was handsome - I'd have to be dead not to - but he was especially handsome when he smiled like this.

_Okay. Have a good night, Megan. I'll see you tomorrow._

"Bye," I said, disconnecting. I set the phone down and pulled the blanket up over me and Sasha, stroking his soft baby hair until he was fast asleep with my hair firmly in his grasp.

 

*          *          *

Chris' POV

Seeing her holding an adorable little blond boy and interacting so patiently with him made me want that for myself even more. It hurt a little, knowing that Megan couldn't have kids when it was clear that she'd be a great mom, but that's the way the cookie crumbled.

Suddenly wide awake, I decided to call my mom even though it she was probably almost ready for bed. I hadn't talked to her in a couple days since I'd been so busy, just a text here and there. It was a good conversation. I'd always been able to tell my mom anything but she knew me well.

_So what's really on your mind, Chris? Is something wrong?_

"Well, there's this girl I like and I think I've finally convinced her to go out with me."

 _Why on Earth would you have to convince a girl to do that? Don't you usually have to beat them off of you with a stick?_ she teased me. I laughed at her phrasing; it was a little ironic that I could get any girl I wanted - except the one I actually wanted - without having to put any effort into it.

"She's immune to my usual tricks, Ma. She's a great girl but she just got out of a bad relationship and isn't sure she's ready for a new one." That was all true. "She's a little stubborn about some things, but so am I."

_Good. You've gotten spoiled with the last couple girls giving you whatever you wanted. So what's she like?_

"She's sweet and funny. She's kind and really good with kids; spent a couple months as a nanny even. Dodger loves her - he was upset when she didn't come home with us tonight. She and Sadie are staying with me and Scott here in LA for a while." 

_Sounds good so far. Is she pretty? What's she look like?_

"Beautiful. Hold on; I'll send you a picture," I said, putting her on speaker while I texted her a couple pictures, babbling inanely. "I took a bunch when we went on a date the other day. I took her horseback riding and to that observatory not far from here. Did you get what I sent you?"

_Yes. They just finished coming through. She's beautiful, Chris - that hair - wow._

"I know, right? She really catches the eye."

_She does - in a good way. I've seen her before somewhere; this is the girl that's living with Sebastian and posts all those funny pictures with him, isn't it?_

"Yeah. He treats her like an annoying little sister and she does everything possible to bug him. It's hilarious, really."

_So has she been in anything I would have seen lately or is she working on this movie with you?_

"She's not an actress, Ma; she's Sadie's personal assistant," I admitted. My mom was quiet for a long minute. "You still there?"

_Yes, I'm here. I'm just a little surprised, honey. For so long you refused to date anyone who wasn't an actress and now you're changing your mind?_

"Not really. She's still in the business and knows how things work, you know - how crazy our schedules get at times and all that."

_How long have you known her?_

"A month, maybe?" I said, stretching the numbers a little bit. It hadn't even been that long from the first day I'd met her. "Actually, it's more like three weeks."

_Christopher Robert Evans, you've known this girl for a_ _ month _ _and I'm just now hearing about her from you? Was there a reason you were afraid to tell me about her?_

"I just asked her out today, Ma!" I said with exasperation, hearing the Boston accent working it's way back into my voice. "The first week I knew her she was dating some douche and the second week she was gone with Sadie back to South Dakota. She's only been here in LA for a couple days."

_So when do I get to meet her?_

"I'm hoping she'll agree to come with Sadie and the boys for Thanksgiving since we'll be in Atlanta for filming then. Sadie said she and the boys are planning on being there if I didn't tell you that already."

My phone buzzed as I got a text and a picture from Chris Hemsworth. I glanced at it and smiled before forwarding it to my mom.

 ** _This is how we found them when we got home._** It was a picture of Megan buried under three little bodies, all of them sound asleep. The twins had their hands wrapped in Megan's hair. **_Pretty sure we just found our new favorite sitter._**

"You gotta see this, Ma! This is from tonight and those are Chris Hemsworth's three kids. He just sent it to me a minute ago."

_That's adorable! Does she want kids? Please tell me she does._

"Well, that's the other reason she wouldn't date me right away. She can't have kids, Ma. I don't know the technical stuff, but that's what she told me. And before you ask, yeah she knows that I want 'em eventually. That's part of why it took her so long to agree to go out with me. I told her I understand that but she still thinks that won't be enough for me."

 _Will it?_ she said slowly and I knew she understood where I was coming from. We'd had this conversation before, when I'd been thinking about getting serious with Minka - and before I'd learned that Minka didn't want kids...at all...ever.

"I mean, I haven't really processed it yet, but yeah - it's gonna have to be. I just want it all, Ma. The whole package."

 _Oh, Chris. If you do love her, it won't matter that she can't give you children of your own._  

"I know, Ma; I know! Part of me just hopes that the doctors were wrong or looking at the wrong file or _something_ and that really isn't the case" I sighed loudly in frustration. "I don't even know why I said anything - I haven't even slept with her yet."

_How's the press going to take her? You've been single for a while now, so you know what they're like when they see you out with anyone who's available._

"I dunno," I said honestly. I'd thought about that today when I was on set and couldn't come up with a solid answer. "My publicist keeps trying to talk me out of being seen taking her out - she thinks being single is better for me than being in a relationship."

_Is she going to be okay with that kind of attention?_

"I don't know," I sighed. "She's not real fond of the paps, but who is? So far they mostly leave her alone. She went to the _Thor_ premier this week with Tom Hiddleston and there was some speculation, but Tom was good about not letting them put words in his mouth."

_Chris, honey, are you sure she's not just using you?_

I laughed. "No Ma, I'm sure. You shoulda seen how hard it was to convince her to go on a date tomorrow. It's almost funny - the one time I want a girl she doesn't want me. Scott - perfect timing! Tell Ma that Megan isn't using me." I handed him the phone and he sat down at the island beside me to talk to her.

"She's really not, Ma. She's a sweetheart and you're gonna _love_ her - if we ever get her to agree to meet you. I think she's got a fear of commitment or something. Her last relationship wasn't the greatest and she's afraid of getting hurt again."

I quickly shook my head at my brother in alarm, making a 'cut it out' gesture before he told her anything more about Megan's ex. He took the hint and played along, steering the conversation to a less charged topic for a little bit before saying goodnight to her and handing me back my phone so I could tell her goodnight as well.

*        *

I sighed heavily, frustrated as hell. When I'd told Sadie I was planning on having Megan over for dinner Saturday night, I hadn't expected her to invite Sebastian, Lizzie and Tom. Or for her to tell me she was going to steal Megan for the _entire_ day to spend it at one of the more exclusive spas Sadie had been dying to try since Lizzie had told her about it. And now she was telling me it was going to be a dinner party. I loved Sadie to distraction but I honestly wanted to strangle her right now.

"You don't have to cook, doll," I grumbled, feeling guilty for my uncharacteristic thought. "I can order in from someplace."

Sadie patted my cheek with a grin, amused for some reason. "It's fine, Chris. Lizzie and Megan are going to help. Besides, you're in charge of grilling the steaks Sebastian's bringing over."

"So is there a reason you've decided we need to have a dinner party?" I asked her, pinching the bridge of my nose and closing my eyes.

"Megan's idea," she said, pausing to take another drink of her coffee as I opened my eyes and lowered my hand. "We decided it last night after she said you asked her over. I told her Sebastian and I weren't planning on doing anything and reminded her that Lizzie wanted to be there when Megan watched her movie, so we're killing two birds with one stone."

"Why'd you invite Tom? Not that I don't get along with him but this was supposed to be _our_ date, Sadie Marie Wilson."

She gave me an enigmatic smile - the one I hated the most because it meant she was up to something. "Yes, I know. You'll see, babe. I didn't do it to annoy you, I promise."

I crossed my arms and exhaled loudly, scowling at her. "I question your dubious reasons, doll."

"I know you do now, but you'll thank me later. Have I _ever_ knowingly steered you wrong or in this case sabotaged your plans without a very good reason?"

"No, but there's always a first time for everything."

She snorted and took a drink of her coffee. "Since when are you such a pessimist? Blue balls must really be getting to you." I was very glad I hadn't just taken a drink when she said that. I raised my eyebrow at her but she'd looked down at her phone and didn't see the glare I gave her. "I'll take your lack of answer as a yes, then. You've been grumpy since yesterday and it wasn't because you didn't get enough sleep. I'll see you in a couple of hours, so go get your run in with Scott and Dodger and jerk yourself off in the shower."

I choked, a noise slipping from my throat as I flushed beet red. "Sadie!"

"What? _I'm_ not helping you with your little problem," she said, setting her empty mug in the sink.

"It's not a _little_ problem, Sadie," I felt compelled to say, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Chris, you know I don't care how big your cock is," she laughed. "But I'm pretty sure you don't need my praise."

"At least give me a hint, doll. Please?"

She sighed heavily, pausing in the doorway. She turned around slowly and came back over to me. "Let's just say this is an excellent way for you to show her how you really act when you're _not_ being a jealous idiot. If you screw it up this time, I can't help you, Chris - so don't be a jealous idiot!"

I pulled her in for a tight hug, burying my face in her loose hair. "Thank you, Sadie. Love you."

"Love you more, you big dork. See you this afternoon."

*      *

By the time the girls arrived, we were playing poker in the kitchen and were well on our way to being buzzed. I'd already driven Scott nuts and Sebastian wasn't far behind; Tom was just amused but glad to be invited.

"Hey doll; you look nice," I told Sadie when she walked into the kitchen. "Should I go start the grill?"

"Depends – how much have you had to drink?" she asked, eyeing the table covered with beer bottles. "I'm not sure you should be near an open flame right now."

"Ha, ha. Not all of those empties are mine," I protested, before finishing my beer. "I had help; where are Lizzie and Megan?"

Sadie gave me a pleased smile. "Coming. They went to go put their bags in one of your spare rooms. The little boutique there had some cute stuff, so I may have went a _little_ overboard with my shopping."

"So you bought them out of whatever it was you liked?" I said with a smirk. Sadie just grinned, so I took that as a yes.

"You look very nice, Sadie," Tom said, leaning back in his chair and smiling. "How was the spa?"

"Thanks, Tom. It was great," she sighed contentedly. "I'm _definitely_ going there again! Who's winning?"

"I am. C'mere doll - let me see that dress a little closer," Sebastian smirked, pulling Sadie into his lap. He murmured in her ear for a bit, making her laugh. I was glad to see them together openly - they were both happier now. Sebastian looked over my shoulder and his jaw actually dropped, making me turn to see who it was. "Wow – what's the occasion, Roşu?"

Tom and I lost the power of speech when we saw what Megan was wearing. It was a beautiful flowy calf length halter dress in an unusual shade of green that looked great against her creamy alabaster skin and long, slightly curly hair. It was almost sheer but layered in a way that hinted rather than revealed and I had to shift in my seat as my cock hardened, making my jeans uncomfortably tight.

"Nothing special - Sadie decided we needed to go shopping. You like it?" she asked, twirling slightly back and forth.

"Love it," Sebastian said, kissing Sadie's cheek. "I've never seen that shade of green before, but it really brings out your eyes." He turned his attention back to Sadie, ignoring the rest of us again.

"Thanks," Megan said, flushing prettily and clasping her hands behind her back, the motion pushing her pert breasts out further and catching my complete attention.

"I agree, darling. It looks delightful on you," Tom said, recovering first and giving her a large smile.

I held my hand out to Megan and pulled her over to me, meeting her eyes. "You look beautiful, babe." I brushed a kiss to the back of her hand, smirking when my beard tickled her.

"And here I thought you didn't like it," she said, smiling wickedly. "You didn't say anything right away."

"You knocked me speechless, babe," I said. "Give a guy a little warning next time if you're gonna wear something like this. Might need to make sure I have a defibrillator around for the next time you stop my heart."

"So I shouldn't tell you this isn't the _only_ kind of dress I got today?" she said, leaning down to murmur in my ear. I couldn't even formulate a verbal response, all the blood had left my brain so fast at the sight she was giving me right now of her cleavage.

"You have no idea how amusing I find this," Scott chortled, saving me by pulling her over to him to whisper in her ear. She laughed and nodded before spinning to leave the room. "Don't worry, she'll be back," he told me. "Lizzie – you look stunning. Come here and give us a spin, love."

Lizzie was wearing a similar dress to the ones Megan and Sadie had on and gave us a grin before doing a catwalk past us, her turn making the light fabric float around her as we whistled and clapped. She and Sadie exchanged a glance before she went over to Scott and perched on his lap, having a quiet conversation with him. Whatever they were up to, Scott was in on it. I raised an eyebrow at him but he only shook his head and smirked.

His plan became apparent a few minutes later when Megan came back with _Cards Against Humanity._ We played a few rounds while we cooked and ate, laughing hard over the absurdity of it all and having a great time together. After dinner, we played Never Have I Ever – Sadie's idea. Once we heard the rules, I decided I would probably like this game. It sounded simple enough and I knew my friends well after several movies and a lot of hanging out together.

Boy, was I ever wrong. Never Have I Ever was the dirtiest damn drinking game I'd ever played. Scott kept saying things he knew I'd have to drink to and since most of us were actors, we were screwed. 

 

*            *           *

Megan's POV

I found Never Have I Ever to be hilarious. I decided it was a good thing I could hold my liquor because I learned a lot about my friends and boss throughout the course of the game. Being a virgin definitely worked in my favor because almost everyone else had to drink every time it was a sex-related question, which thanks to Scott there were a bunch, each one more explicit than the last.

_(For example:_   
_Never have I ever kissed someone of the same gender on the lips.  Everyone who_ _ has  _ _done that drinks. They're all actors, so they all drank._   
_Never have I ever had a one night stand, a threesome, given oral ... You get the idea.)_

Thanks to the game, they were all completely drunk by the time we went to watch the movie and I was buzzing. Chris and Tom insisted on me sitting between them while Sadie and Sebastian cuddled up together on the loveseat.

"I didn't know you had one of these!" I said when Scott drug a bean bag chair into the living room. "I love bean bag chairs!"

"That's mine, Meg. Get off it!" he whined when I hopped on it as he put in the movie just to annoy him.

"I'll share."

"Mine."

"Nope."

He won that argument by picking me up and plunking me on Chris' lap.

"Trouble maker," Chris teased me, kissing my cheek when he finished laughing at us.

"I know you are but what am I?" I retorted, setting him off again. I scooted off his lap and settled back in between him and Tom. Dodger parked himself on my feet and refused to move, giving me a doggy grin.

"It looks like someone else missed you," Tom said, bringing one hand to his lips. I raised an eyebrow at him, studying his face but I couldn't decipher his expression. I pulled my feet out from under Dodger and rubbed his back with them before rested them on him, making the dog happy I was including him.

Tom let go of my hand when Lizzie came in and sat down on the other side of him, snuggling into him. When the movie ended, I noticed that Sadie and Sebastian had disappeared at some point. I must have been preoccupied to not notice them leaving, but Chris had been touching me intermittently throughout the whole movie. He played with my fingers or twirled a lock of my hair around his fingers as we watched, messing with my nerves to the point that I was pretty keyed up by the time the movie ended.

"Night guys," Scott said as he got up. "Megan - I love watching movies with you when you're drunk."

"In a good way, I hope?"

"Oh yeah - I've never laughed that hard before." He picked up a sleepy Lizzie, laughing when she just put her arms around his neck and snuggled into him. "Come on, Liz. Let's get you up to bed."

"So Megan, why won't you pick one of us?" Chris asked me when the three of us were left alone.

I was still drunk enough to speak my mind, a reply leaving my lips before I even thought about what I should say. "Didn't think I'd really have to choose."

"Why not, darling?" Tom asked.

I shrugged. "I thought you'd both lose interest in me by now - found a new flavor of the week, you know."

"What makes you think that?" Chris asked, shifting so he could see me easier. "I like hanging out with you, Megan."

"I think you deserve better than me," I said, standing up and stumbling into the kitchen to get a drink of water. I heard them talking while I got a glass out and filled it with ice water, taking a long drink before refilling it...stalling while they hopefully figured things out between them.

"I don't know how to convince her I'm serious," Chris said. "You got any ideas?"

"Not really - all I can think about is how delectable she looks tonight," Tom said with a sigh.

"Not helping," Chris groaned. "She always looks good."

I debated if I was actually going to go back in the living room or if I was just going to avoid the situation altogether by going to bed and pretending it never happened. Right now, I was leaning towards the latter. Dodger's nails clicking on the tiled floor had me looking for him. He went to the patio door, whining to get my attention.

"You want to go outside?" I asked, setting down my glass and walking over to open the door for him. "Go on."

Dodger rubbed against my legs on the way outside, almost knocking me off balance. Large hands on my arms steadied me and I looked up in alarm, not having heard anyone approach me. I exhaled in relief, seeing it was Chris and Tom on either side of me, each having a hand on me.

"We didn't mean to frighten you, darling," Tom said, letting go of my arm and touching my face lightly. "Are you all right?"

"Fine. I just didn't hear you come up behind me."

"How can we help you choose, Megan?" Chris said, his hand skating down my arm lightly as he let go of me.

"I don't know. You're serious about this, both of you, I mean?"

Chris nodded, letting Tom speak first.

"Yes, we are," Tom said. "I've made myself clear that I'm interested in you, Megan."

"You have," I said, swallowing hard. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you before."

"Understandable, darling."

"And you know I'm more than a little interested," Chris said, his deeper Cap voice sending a little shiver down my spine. "So how can we help you make a decision now that you've known us for a while?"

I worried my lower lip between my teeth as I tried to think, coming up blank. I never expected to actually have to choose, but I couldn't just string them along, either. Chris reached out and dragged his thumb over my lip, freeing it from my teeth, his eyes holding mine.

"You're going to hurt yourself, babe," Chris said with a slight frown.

"I have an idea," Tom said, watching the interaction. "Maybe we should kiss you."

"Like set a time?" Chris looked over at Tom and he nodded his agreement. "One minute?"

"Five," Tom countered. "One isn't long enough to make an informed decision."

"I'm dreaming. Maybe if I go back to bed in my dream I'll wake up," I said as I watched with amusement, the whole thing surreal. I wasn't the kind of girl that guys ever fought over, let alone such attractive guys as Chris and Tom.

"You're not dreaming, Megan. Rock, paper, scissors?"

"It's as good a method as any," Tom agreed. "Loser goes first."

I pulled out my phone to set a timer for 5 minutes, watching them from the corner of my eye.

"Can I ask you something first, before I start the timer?" They both nodded, so I held my hand out to Tom, pulling him into the living room.

"What would you like to ask, darling?" Tom asked as he sat down on the couch, gesturing for me to sit beside him.

I thought for a moment and asked something that had been weighing on my mind for some time. "For real, Tom; why do you like me?"

"You make me smile, darling." Tom said, stroking my face and smiling himself. "I adore your sunny outlook and how you can make me laugh no matter how upset I am. You are beautiful as well, but that's only icing on the cake because you're even more beautiful inside. Who else would agree to go to a highly public event in a dress made for another woman just because I didn't want to go alone?"

"Not many," I said, my lips quirking. "But I don't regret it."

I hit start and set my phone down on the end table. Tom held my eyes as he captured my lips, pulling me closer until I was straddling him. I enjoyed kissing Tom, but I didn't lose myself when I did - I never truly had. We were breathing hard when I pulled back, resting my forehead on his.

"You've already decided, haven't you, darling?" he said, pressing a kiss to my cheek with a disappointed sigh.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I like kissing you, Tom, really I do -"

"But we've only really been friends," he finished. "I know, darling. I do like spending time with you."

"Same here. That doesn't have to change, does it?"

"No. I think I wanted to believe there was something more but I don't think there ever was. I would be honored to have you as a friend, Megan."

I pulled him into a hug and kissed his cheek. "Don't think this gets you out of going to a Broncos game. I still think you threw that bet, mister."

"I may have done so," he admitted with a smirk, one hand brushing my hair back and cupping my face. "But it was worth it; I never regret any of the time I spend with you, darling." He kissed me sweetly, softly, in a manner I knew meant goodbye. After this, we'd go back to being just friends, having answered a question in both of our minds. ****

*      *         *

Chris' POV

I sighed in relief when I finally heard the timer go off. I swear that was the longest five minutes of my life. I was almost afraid of walking back into the living room, not sure what I'd see. I let Dodger back in and followed him to the living room, watching as Megan pulled Tom to his feet with a smile and gave him a hug, her arms around his waist as she spoke quietly to him.

"Of course," he replied, just barely loud enough for me to hear. He met my eyes for a moment before giving her one more quick kiss on her forehead. My gut twisted and I was suddenly terrified that I was too late to convince her that she belonged with me. Tom let go of Megan and walked into the kitchen, but she didn't reach for him or try to stop him, so I let myself hope that maybe, _just maybe_ , she hadn't already made up her mind.

Megan looked at me, holding out a hand to me with a come hither motion. I forced my feet to cooperate, slowly walking over to her.

"I'll ask you the same question I asked Tom," she said, resetting the timer.

I blanked my face of expression at her serious tone. I could feel my heart trying to beat its way through my chest as my anxiety tried to take over. I ruthlessly forced it down, refusing to believe it was over before it even started. She sat down on the couch and patted the cushion beside her, waiting for me to sit down.

"Chris, we both know you could have any girl you want, so why me?"

I licked my lips before answering, my eyes holding hers. I knew this wasn't an idle question - she really needed an answer. "Because you're you. You're funny, smart, beautiful - everything I never knew I needed until I met you. You're the first person I look for when I walk into a room," I said, reaching for her to pull her into my lap. "I guess I'm really saying that you're my favorite hello and the hardest goodbye. Not having you here yesterday was hard," I admitted, taking her small hand in mine and kissing it. "I missed you like crazy."

"I missed you, too," she said quietly, setting her other hand on my heart. I felt her quick intake of breath as my lips covered hers, desire flaring between us. Without looking, she started the timer and set her phone down. I shifted her so she was straddling me, but wanted her closer still with nothing between us.

I could never get enough of her and I was positive she felt the same the way she touched me. When the timer went off, she drug her lips from mine long enough to turn it off before looking back up at me.

"If you want to be with me, no more jealousy, Chris."

"No more jealousy," I agreed, holding her unwavering gaze.

"Good, because I won't deal with it when there's no reason for it. You talk to me _before_ you jump to conclusions, okay?"

I cupped her face with my hand, my thumb stroking her cheek lightly. "I will do my best. No more kissing other guys, though - _I'm_ the only guy that gets to kiss you."

She nipped at my thumb, smiling. "I suppose that's reasonable. I know it's not quite the same given your line of work, but if it's not scripted, I expect the same from you."

I kissed her forehead gently. "I will tell you if I know I'm going to be kissing someone for work. Like Emily - I think we have to kiss again later on."

"Emily's engaged, so I'm not worried about her. It's the thousands of other girls throwing themselves at you that I'm concerned about. I know there's a line a mile long of your fangirls."

I shook my head. "They're not you, Megan. You've got nothing to worry about there. I have no problem being a one woman man."

"You'd better not be lying to me, Evans," she said, studying my face.

"Never. Stay with me tonight?" I murmured against her lips. "Please?"

"Sadie?"

"Is already with Seb, in case you hadn't noticed," I said, kissing down her neck. "Stay with me, Megan."

"All right," she giggled as I raced up the stairs carrying her, my lips never leaving hers once. "Let me change into my pajamas," she said before we made it to my bedroom. "I'll be right there, okay?"

"Okay," I agreed, setting her gently on her feet. "Don't take too long." I kissed her softly before letting go and continuing down to my room.

I quickly stripped and got into the shower, washing the faint smoky scent from my skin from grilling earlier. Megan still wasn't here, so I brushed my teeth and combed my hair before going to find a pair of boxerbriefs to put on. I made sure I had prophylactics in my nightstand in case we actually made it to that point but I wasn't in any hurry - not with her.

I plugged my phone in and scrolled through my social media accounts while I waited for Megan, starting to wonder if she was coming or not when she knocked once before letting herself in. I stood up and walked over to her with a smile, taking in her nightie. It was a similar style to the dress she'd worn earlier and had the same affect on me, turning me on even more than I already was.

"I didn't think you'd actually come," I said, my voice rough with desire.

"I almost didn't," she admitted, staring at me, wide-eyed, her cheeks flushing slightly as she gave me a once-over. Her eyes darted up to mine as I closed the distance between us.

"I'm glad you did. Is this what you were talking about earlier?" I gestured to the fabric confection she wore.

She nodded. "Lizzie and Sadie said I had to get it. Do you like it?"

"Love it. Remind me to thank them later."

"Can I touch you?" she asked shyly, her cheeks getting redder.

"Please do," I said, taking her hands and setting them on my pecs before running my large hands down her arms to skim her curves before reversing direction.

Taking her cue from me, she hesitantly let her hands roam lightly over my torso, smiling when she found a ticklish spot and focusing on it until I couldn't take it anymore, taking her hands in mine and kissing her breathless. When I let go of her hands, they reached for me, pulling me closer.

I kissed down her neck to her shoulder, sliding the thin strap down before reaching for the laces in front, cursing when I couldn't figure them out. Her hands pushed mine away as she took over, nimbly undoing the ties and shrugging so the fabric slid down her slender frame. I broke the kiss to watch her shimmy out of the nightie, leaving her in only lacy white panties. She was even more beautiful than I remembered - I'd almost convinced myself that had been a dream until I saw her tattoo on her ribs.

She pulled me close again, tipping her face up for a kiss that I was more than happy to give her. She ran her fingers under the waistband of my underwear, working them down until they fell, freeing my hard cock. She kissed her way down my neck as she took my length into her small hand, exploring my body at her own pace. I cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples with my thumbs and feeling them furl.

My eyes closed in pleasure as she stroked me. I let her continue until I couldn't handle it anymore, abruptly picking her up and kissing her as I carried her to the bed, laying her down on it so I could explore her more fully.

I trailed open mouthed kisses down her neck before caressing her pert breasts, rolling, tweaking the tightly furled nipples as she moaned and arched her back before taking first one nipple and then another into my mouth. I looked up to see that she had her lower lip between her teeth, trying to be quiet. I only paused in my ministrations long enough to kiss her lips, my tongue tangling with hers.

"I want to hear every noise you make, baby," I murmured, looking into her blown pupils. "I want to know I'm making you feel good."

She nodded. "You make me feel so good, Chris." I smiled, hearing how breathy her voice was already. I slid one hand down her body, making her gasp as my fingers slid between her slick folds, finding her already wet.

"Has anyone ever kissed you here before?"

"No," she said, pulling my lips back to hers for a wilder kiss, her fingers grasping my hair with one hand as she attempted to reach for my cock again but couldn't, gasping as I teased her, her hips rolling against my hand.

"I bet you taste so fucking good, baby," I said as my fingers circled her clit, making her groan again.

"Can I taste you?" She asked boldly, her eyes holding mine.

I huffed out a breath and shook my head. "Later. I'm not done with you yet. Not even close to done with you." I took a nipple into my mouth again, using my weight to hold her in place as I teased her clit more with my fingers, her breathy moans music to my ears.

"I want this," she gasped, her voice rough with need. "I want you."

"Are you sure?" I asked, sliding one finger inside her, feeling how incredibly tight she was.

She moaned, her head falling back. "Oh god, I'm sure."

"I want you, Megan." My lips crashed into hers, her response leaving no doubt in my mind that she meant what she said. I slid her underwear down, pulling it off her and tossing it somewhere as I settled myself between her thighs. "Can I taste you?" I glanced up at her, waiting for her response. She nodded, cheeks flushed and pupils blown, her lower lip between her teeth again.

I wasted no time, kissing the inside of her thighs before parting her dark red curls. I held her eyes as I kitten licked the sensitive nub I found there, watching her reaction. She almost came off the bed, unprepared for the intensity of the feeling. I chuckled and did it again; she tasted incredible. I put both hands on her hips to keep her from bucking me off her. Her moans and gasps told me she was enjoying it and I eased one finger inside her again.

"You're so tight, baby," I groaned, kissing the inside of her thigh as I fought my own need.

I was so close I could feel myself dripping precum, my cock aching at the thought of being inside her. She threw her head back, moaning as I teased her some more. I managed to get two fingers into her comfortably by the time she screamed my name as she climaxed, legs shaking and whimpering with pleasure as I continued to lap at her. I wiped my face off as she pulled me up for a hot, openmouthed kiss, her body shuddering under me.

She ground herself against my hard cock,  her sleek legs wrapped tightly around me. I groaned against her lips at the feel of her hot wetness on me.

"I need you inside me," she gasped. "Now."

 

* * *

Megan's POV

"One second," he begged, pulling away to grab a condom out of the nightstand. He opened it but let me roll it on him. He was so large I wasn't convinced he would really fit, but I trusted him. He captured my lips again as he settled himself over me. 

I was so wet he could slide in a little bit easily before he had to slow up to allow me time to get used to him. It was the strangest feeling, having him inside me; the burning pressure borderline painful. I bit my lip to keep from crying out and Chris stopped moving, his eyes meeting mine.

"You're so tight, baby; I'm hurting you."

I wriggled my hips experimentally, the pressure having let up now. "Don't stop, Chris," I begged, kissing him. "Don't stop. I want this." I kissed him again, nipping at his lower lip before tangling my tongue with his. He groaned quietly against my mouth as he slid in further, pausing again for me before pulling back. I gasped in pleasure at the new sensation, sinking my fingertips into his biceps.

He pumped shallowly before lengthening his strokes until with one motion he filled me completely. I set my teeth into his shoulder as I gasped in pain, tensing. He kissed me gently, holding himself up from me to look me in the eyes. "I'm so sorry, baby - the worst is over now. Tell me when you're ready, okay?"

He kissed me again until I started moving slightly against him, the pain replaced by pleasure as he laved my nipples in turn before claiming my lips in a wilder kiss, the feel of him moving inside me bringing me closer to another orgasm. He reached between us, finding that little bundle of nerves and stroking it as he lengthened his strokes. I panted shallowly as I felt the build inside me, groaning against his lips as he sent me over the edge quickly, my climax bringing on his. His eyes closed and he groaned my name as I felt his cock pulsing inside me.

Chris kissed me gently before collapsing on me, a satiated lethargy spreading through me. I contemplated the feel of his cock inside me, filling me completely. It wasn't a bad feeling, just different; I'd never felt anything like that before and I finally understood what all the fuss was about. I could get addicted to this feeling of repletion.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice almost gone from all the vocalizing I'd done. I kissed his shoulder where I'd left teeth marks earlier. "That was something else."

"No Megan, thank you," he said, gently kissing me. "You're so incredibly responsive, baby. You feel so good." I smiled at his praise, letting him roll us so I laid on him bonelessly, still connected and beyond exhausted, unable to keep my eyes open a moment longer.

* *

I didn't want to wake up yet but I couldn't ignore the call of nature any longer. I was momentarily disorientated because I'd slept so hard I didn't know where I was. There was a large muscular arm around me and my back was pulled tight to a hard, warm body. Bit by bit flashes came to me.

"Be right back," I murmured, freeing myself from Chris' embrace and sliding out of under the covers that I didn't remember getting under.

I found the adjoining bathroom and walked over to it, shutting the door behind me. I looked at myself in the mirror and was relieved to see that I didn't have any hickeys. I did have a fair amount of what could only be beard burn on various parts of my body, including the insides of my thighs. Sadie was right - beard burn sucked.

I used the bathroom and washed, splashing some water on my face. I was still tired, so I went back to the bedroom and crawled back into bed, Chris pulling me close without opening his eyes, pressing a kiss to my forehead. I drifted off again until his phone rang, waking us both.

"If I ignore it will it go away?" he said, his voice thick with sleep. He rolled us over, pinning me beneath him as he kissed me thoroughly before reaching for his phone.

"Nope. You can answer it," I said, an idea coming to mind. "I'm not going anywhere yet."

"Good, because it's my mom. If I don't answer, she'll just keep calling."

"So you're saying I shouldn't go down on you right now? You said I could taste you later. It's later."

"You're going to be the death of me, woman," he groaned, putting an arm around me so firmly I couldn't move. I wriggled my hips and found that he was hard again against my belly. Another slight movement and he was sliding into me again with only a mild twinge of pain at the initial entry. I moved a little more, watching his head fall back as I teased him, taking a little more of him in. "God, Megan - you feel so fucking good."

"Aren't you going to answer that?" I asked breathily as his phone continued to ring, slowly taking him all the way in. "I can try to be quiet this time." I tried to stifle a moan as I sat up on him, wriggling experimentally.

"I'll call her back," he gasped, turning off his phone and slapping it on the nightstand before gripping my hips and settling me into a rhythm. "You don't know the meaning of the word _quiet_ , baby."


	19. Compromises

Chris' POV

"Hey you," I said with a smile when I woke up again a short while later to see Megan watching me sleep, her smile growing when I pulled her over for a leisurely kiss. "Are you ready to get up for the day?"

"I don't suppose we could stay in bed all day?"

I stretched, working out the tightness in my shoulders before shaking my head. "Not today," I sighed, kissing her again and then working down her neck. "Perhaps some other time."

"Sounds good to me," she grinned, hearing my stomach growling.

"Shower with me?" I asked, hoping she'd say yes. Her eyes widened and she shook her head no.

"I don't know about that," she rolled away from me before sitting up to stretch like a cat. "I didn't bring any clothes with me."

"So wear some of mine," I suggested, thinking of how hot she'd look wearing one of my shirts with those lacy panties she'd had on earlier.

"I'll have to remember that for next time. Besides, don't you need to call your mom back?" She shot me an amused look over her shoulder.

"Fuck! Yes," I groaned, remembering that I'd turned my phone off because I'd been way more interested in round 2 than talking to my mom. I turned it back on to see I had a voicemail and a couple texts from my mom. "I'm gonna be in soooo much shit!"

Megan shrugged and got out of bed, looking for her nightie. "You coulda talked to her. I was doing all the work, you know."

My mouth went dry, seeing her like that; my cock was already hard again and I couldn't remember the last time I'd wanted someone so badly. I shook my head to clear it, trying to remember what we'd been talking about.

"Baby, I couldn't concentrate on a conversation with you riding me like that. You're evil, you know that?"

"Nah – not me. Must be some other girl."

She gave me an innocent smirk as she found the nightie and slipped it on, tightening the laces in front and drawing my attention to her beautiful breasts again. I knew another round was out of the question for her when I saw her try to hide a wince as she pulled that sexy thong on.

"Nope – you're my only girl. Besides if you would've started _that_ , I woulda had to do some payback the next time you were on the phone – and I can guarantee they'd know exactly what was going on while you were talking to them." I waggled my eyebrows at her suggestively, making her giggle.

"Then it's probably good we didn't start that, then," she said, leaning down to give me a quick kiss and dancing out of reach of my grasping hands. "See you downstairs."

* *

"Yes, Ma, I'll make sure to ask her," I said as I walked into the kitchen. Everyone else was sitting at the table already and eating. "Love you, too. Bye."

"I guess I don't have to tell you to call mom," Scott said with a snicker. "You know better than to ignore her calls, bro."

"Yeah, yeah," I said, shooting him a dirty look as I got a plate from the cupboard and filled it with breakfast food. "Thanks for making breakfast, Sadie."

"You're welcome," Sadie said, looking up at me in amusement when I kissed the top of her head. " _You're_ in a good mood - where's the real Chris Evans and what have you done to him?"

"Jeez – you make sound like I'm not a morning person."

"You're not," most of the table chorused, then laughed as they realized what they'd done. Megan looked up at me with a smirk.

"So what did you need to ask me?" she said when she finished eating and everyone else was involved in a different conversation. "I'm assuming it's me you were talking about."

I took her hand in mine and smiled. "It was; I know it's kind of soon, but I was wondering if you'd come home with us for Thanksgiving. Ma really wants to meet you."

"You told her about me _already_?" Megan asked, sitting back in her seat, her face unreadable; I wasn't sure what was going through her mind.

"I'd really like for you to meet the rest of my family and they all want to meet you."

 "I'll think about it, okay?" she said after a moment, getting up and putting her plate in the sink. Dodger whined by the patio door so she walked over and let him out, following him outside.

"Did I say something wrong?" I asked Sadie, who'd heard the exchange.

Sadie took my plate, stacking it on hers before giving me an odd look. "I'm going to chalk it up to nerves. Chris, you _do_ realize you really just asked her to come to Boston for a major holiday _and_ meet your whole family - not just your mom - when you haven't even been dating a whole day yet?"

I ran my hands through my hair in agitation. "Fuck! I didn't think of that."

Sebastian stood up and put his arms around Sadie's neck, joining the conversation. "I can guarantee she did. You were the same way when I first met you, doll - and we weren't even dating then. Remember Easter?"

He kissed her cheek as she nodded, looking up at him with a bittersweet smile before looking back at me. I reached out and squeezed her hand, remembering how strained things had been between them for a while. That was when Justin was still alive; Seb had really wanted Sadie to meet his mom, who wanted to thank her in person for saving his life. Since Easter had been the only time it was going to work for them all to be in the States, Sadie had declined, not wanting to miss out on her own family time.

"I should go after her-" I started to say as I stood up, only to be cut off.

Sadie put her hand on my arm and shook her head. "No, Sebastian will, won't you, babe?"

"On it, punk," he said, giving me a reassuring smile and clapping me on the back as he passed me. "I've got this."

 

*                 *           *

Megan's POV

I threw the ball for Dodger again, this time as far as I could and he sprinted enthusiastically after it as I heard the door open. I knew I wouldn't be alone out here for long, but I thought I'd have a little more time before someone came after me. "Let me guess, you drew the short straw?" I said, not turning around to see who it was.

"You okay?" Sebastian asked, not touching me, just standing next to me.

"I don't know." I wrapped my arms around myself, watching the dog running back over to us with his prize. Sebastian threw it for him again, turning to me.

"You seemed a little...surprised there."

"You think?" I scoffed. "That wasn't even close to what I thought he was going to say, not that I could've even guessed. Why, Baz?"

Somehow he knew exactly what I meant, even though I didn't exactly voice it. He gave me a small smile, shaking his head slightly. "You're who he wants, kid – and that's all that matters."

"What if-"

"Shh. Don't overthink it, Roşu. You like him, right?"

I nodded after a slight hesitation. "But he doesn't just want me to meet his mom, he wants me to meet his whole freaking family!"

"Good," he said, and I looked at him in surprise. "Not every girl he's dated meets his mom, you know. Besides, after meeting Scott, everyone else in his family is normal."

"I _like_ Scott," I said, rolling my eyes at him. I didn't ask 'what if she doesn't like me?' but he knew I was thinking it. He put his arm around my shoulder and I leaned into him, needing reassurance.

"She'll love you," he said with a chuckle. "How could she not? You make him happy; this is the best mood he's been in for about a month – ever since you walked into his life and he found out you were already taken. Do you know how hard it was to hold him back from beating Andy's sorry ass when we found out what he was doing to you?"

"It's bad enough that you guys all know -"

Sebastian cut me off, his voice low but fervent. "I've told you before and I'll tell you again – _you have ab-so-fuckin-lutely nothing to be ashamed of!_ It's not _your_ fault Andy was a fucking asshole who knew you couldn't just up and leave him on your own. Where would you be now if you were still living with him, huh?"

"I don't know, Baz. Probably even more bruised wherever my uniform covered," I said without thinking. _Shit I shouldn't have said that to him_. Sebastian let go of me and stared until I met his eyes.

"Roşu, I still want to beat that fucking piece of shit to a goddamn pulp for what he did to you. I see how you flinch if we make too sudden of a move and I hate it! I hate seeing that you're afraid of us because of him." He pulled me into his arms and gave me a hug; I'd forgotten just how good his hugs were. He didn't let go, just held on until I stopped resisting and melted into him.

"I know," I said quietly, my throat tightening painfully. "I know none of you will hurt me but I can't stop my reaction."

He sighed, stroking my hair gently. "When we get to Atlanta, both you and Sadie are staying with me. Got it?"

"But-"

"No ifs, ands or buts. Why are you so damn stubborn? I've already got a six bedroom, three bath, fully furnished house rented since I have to be there for like four or five months for this one. Since you're already my roomie in New York, you might as well be my roomie in Atlanta, too."

"I'll talk to Sadie and get back to you on that," I said, not sure me staying with them would be best. "You guys need some alone time, too." I pushed against his chest lightly, hinting for him to let go. He kissed the top of my head and chuckled, ignoring me.

"We spend almost all day together and I like having you around, kid. You can talk to her all you want; she's just going to tell you the same thing I did – and she already agreed to stay with me this time."

A thought occurred to me suddenly. "Did you get that big of a place just so the boys would have someplace to stay when they come to visit?" He gave me that trademark smirk as he let go of me, which was an answer in itself. "You did, didn't you?"

"Yup – and they each get their own room. I know what I want with Sadie, it's only a matter of time."

I snorted. "Cuz she's not just as stubborn? You wore her down, didn't you?"

"Maybe. I have my ways – I'm pretty sure you'll learn all about that now that you're seeing Chris."

"I suppose I will. He didn't actually ask me out, though."

"Judging from the mark on his neck, I'd say that's a moot point." I flushed at his amused look, dropping my gaze. "Ready to go back in, Roşu?"

"Yeah. I guess I have some phone calls to make if I'm going to rearrange my holiday...and my flights."

Sebastian laughed and put his arm around my shoulders as we walked back in, Dodger dancing happily around us and knocking me off balance - or would have if Sebastian hadn't easily caught and steadied me while he scolded the dog. Dodger really did know better; he just got so excited sometimes.

Chris was washing dishes when we walked back in, Scott sitting on the counter beside the sink talking to him. I came up behind Chris and put my arms around his waist, closing my eyes and resting my head on his broad back in silent apology for running away from him again. I just breathed in his scent, a mixture of laundry detergent, cologne and the underlying crisp scent that was just Chris until he turned, taking me in his arms.

"Can we talk?" I asked, looking up at him, seeing the uncertainty in his steel blue eyes. "Alone?"

"Going," Scott said, hopping down from the countertop. I waited until he was out of the room before I spoke.

"It's not that I don't want to meet your mom," I hedged, reaching up to put my arms around his neck. "But I'd already made Thanksgiving plans with my family. Sadie gave me a couple extra days off to spend time with them."

He picked me up and set me on the counter, making it a more comfortable stretch for me. "I'm sorry; I didn't think about that, baby. You can meet my mom some other time, okay?" I could see how badly he'd wanted to have it all work out, trying to put on an 'everything's gonna be fine' face that just killed me.

"I need to talk to my mom, but maybe I could fly into Boston the Friday night or Saturday morning after?" I offered as a compromise as I stroked his beard with my fingers, seeing him light up like a goddamn Christmas tree, huge ass grin and all. Not gonna lie - happy Chris was a beautiful sight, especially the way he was looking at me right now.

"Really? You'd do that?"

"That way I still get to see them but I can see you, too."

"I mean of course you should see your family!" He wrapped those large arms around me and gave me a kiss that made me forget my own name. If that's what I got for making him happy, the impending inconvenience of rearranging flights during peak travel time was worth it.

"Just let me know what works better for your flights so I can pick you up at the airport, okay?"

"I will," I promised. "Any more surprises you want to drop on me suddenly?"

"Not today," he laughed, kissing me gently. "How are you feeling this morning?"

I wrinkled my nose, knowing what he was really asking. "A little sore, but otherwise okay. Want to take me back to my cousins after you finish doing the dishes?"

"Sure you can't stay longer?" Chris asked, kissing me again, working his way down my neck.

"Nope. I've got stuff to do today."

"You can do me."

"Nice try, but I already did you today," I teased, rubbing my nose against his. "Maybe in a couple days?"

"Deal. So do I get to meet your cousins?"

I snorted, imagining how that would play out. "Sure. I could use some entertainment watching them fall all over you. They're big fans, just to warn you - and they knew who you were before I did."

He laughed and kissed me again. "It's a good thing I have you to protect me, then. Give me 10 minutes and I'll be ready to go."

"I'm going to go talk to Sadie and grab my stuff, so take your time."

I scooted forward, sliding down his body on my way down since he didn't back away. He groaned quietly, his eyes snapping to mine, the blue already receding to a thin line. His lips covered mine, kissing me fiercely as his arms tightened around me, holding me tight to him as I felt his growing arousal against my belly. I slid my hands under his shirt, running them up and down his muscular back, feeling the play of his muscles under my hands before searching out his ticklish spot and torturing him until we were both breathless.

"If you don't let me go we'll never leave the kitchen," I said, resting my head on his chest to catch my breath, my cheeks hurting from laughing so hard.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

" _Chris,_ " I groaned, pushing myself away from him.

"You started it," he said, letting go finally. A smile spread across his face as I rolled my eyes at him and laughed.

"Really? How was I supposed to know _that_ was gonna set you off?"

"It's like a magic lamp. You rub it and I grant your deepest wishes."

I reached up and squished his cheeks. "Genie, I wish you free! Now I don't need to rub that _lamp_ anymore."

I let go of his face as he laughed hard, grabbing his chest. I mimed a mic drop and started walking away, squeaking when he suddenly trapped me in his arms, pulling me back over to him to show me just how much he appreciated my sassiness.

 

*        *          *

Chris' POV

I thought about Megan after she left the kitchen to go pack. I was so relieved she'd came back inside to talk to me without me having to hunt her down. I hadn't known how much I needed her to come to me until just then; I'd gotten used to being pursued over the past couple years, but with her, I was the pursuer instead.

I savored the feel of her hugging me from behind, her small arms barely reaching around my torso, reminding me just how much smaller than me she was.  It had been a while since I'd been in a relationship and I just hadn't thought everything through. I was still concerned that I'd come on too strong, but at the same time I was still glad I'd asked her to join us for the holiday because I was certain she wouldn't have suggested it otherwise. Megan - she had no problem allowing me a place in her life; she was just so hesitant to make a place for herself in mine.

I quickly finished the dishes and called my mom to tell her what we'd decided. She was happy we'd come to a compromise of sorts and she hadn't expected Megan to change her plans on short notice.

"Okay, Ma. I gotta go but I'll call you later. Love you, bye."

"What did Mama Evans say?" Megan asked, setting her bags down by the door. "I'm ready if you are."

I put my phone in my pocket and grabbed my keys before opening the door. "She's excited to meet you and she's glad we worked something out."

Megan gave me a rueful grin when I grabbed her larger bags, leaving the smaller one for her. "Yeah, well - a couple someones convinced me that compromising wasn't going to kill me."

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Such a vote of confidence, doll - gosh - if you praised me any more I'd die of shock."

"Smartass," she quipped, following me outside. I set her bag in the back seat of my Lexus.

"Takes one to know one."

Megan loaded the address into my GPS as we pulled out of my drive and then set her hand near mine, letting me make the choice of whether or not I wanted to hold her hand. She smiled when I took her small hand in mine. She looked out the window, just watching the passing scenery and not feeling the need to fill the comfortable silence between us. She jumped when her phone rang and she gave the display a puzzled look before answering.

"Hey Shawn. How's the Land Down Under?"

Her hand squeezed mine lightly and she gave me a smile. I tried not to let it bother me that she was talking to him, but she felt comfortable enough to continue the conversation with me right there, so that helped.

"You want me do _what_?" she asked, her fingers going slack. I looked over at her in concern, but she only looked confused. "I think I misheard you." She pulled her hand back to rummage through her purse, pulling out a planner and a pen, flipping pages as she listened. "You know it's Sunday afternoon here, right? You're like 18 or 19 hours ahead of us there, so I don't even know if the studio is open today. You're sure he meant today?"

I wondered if Megan had to go back for reshoots, but that didn't make sense since most of the video had been filmed using her twin, not her. She scribbled down a quick note and looked over at me. "Hold on please, Shawn. I'll ask Chris, okay?"

"Ask me what, baby?" I asked as I stopped at a red light. She hit mute as she met my eyes.

"Do you have time to take me by the Universal Music Group Studio in Santa Monica? Shawn's label wants me to record my part of the song because his producer liked how we sounded together when he saw the rough cut of the video."

I was momentarily stunned; I hadn't expected that at all, but she was a really good singer so if she wanted to get into the business, she was going to have to take whatever chance she had to get an 'in'. "Yeah, I don't have anything planned today, just going over some lines with Sadie later. Is this something _you_ want to do?"

Her grin widened. "Hell yeah! I've always loved singing and it was great, doing that video with Shawn the other day. It probably won't go any further than this, but I'd like to give it a shot."

"You're a great singer, baby. I'll head to Santa Monica, then. It's the other way from your cousins' place. Is there a certain time you're supposed to be there?"

"No, just as soon as possible. Okay. I'll tell him I'll do it - I still just can't believe it's really happening."

I listened as she figured out some particulars before the conversation became casual, smiling when she managed to work in the fact that she was seeing me now. She reprogrammed the GPS while she talked just in time for me to take the faster route to the recording studio.

"I can't believe that just happened!" she said when she hung up a couple minutes later. "Wait until I tell my cousins about this!" She reached for my hand and grinned, brimming with enthusiasm and bouncing in her seat.

"I'm excited for you, baby," I said with a smile. "And I get to hear this song you've been humming for the past couple days."

"I do love the song; I just didn't think they'd want my voice too."

* *

I was transfixed, watching Megan recording. She was so into what she was doing it was like I was seeing a whole new side of her. I wondering if this is what it felt like for her when she was watching us acting.

The label agent that met us there looked pleasantly surprised, so I wondered how much of today was Shawn's doing. "Her range is perfect for this song," I heard him mutter once before pulling out his phone and typing rapidly for a bit. "And thank God the girl can actually _sing!"_ I hid my smile and made a quick video of Megan to show Sadie and Scott later.

"Megan, that was great," the agent said when she finished the song for the third time. "We'd love to have you meet up with Shawn on his tour to finish it out."

Megan blinked before responding, that's just how taken aback she was. "Wow...um... I don't even know what to say. Isn't he in Australia for the next couple weeks?"

"Yes, he's currently in New Zealand, then Australia, and then he goes on to finish the tour out in Asia and Japan. Why don't I get your contact information and we'll see what we can put together for an offer, plus standard compensation for today's recording session. If this video is as well received as we think it'll be, there's no doubt in my mind that your duet will be his next big hit."

Megan looked over at me, seeking my opinion. "Sadie will be okay with whatever you decide, doll. Right now, it would probably be after Thanksgiving before you'd be able to meet up with Shawn, though. That would give you enough time to get things taken care of and you'll need travel time."

She nodded and turned back to the agent. "Let me talk to my boss, Sadie Wilson, and see what we can work out once you send everything over, okay? I have a pretty flexible schedule, but I can't promise anything yet."

He looked disappointed she didn't say yes right away, but nodded. "That sounds reasonable. Why don't you give me your phone number and email and we'll go from there."

 

*          *        *

Megan's POV

I slipped my hand into Chris' as we walked out of the studio. "Did you mean what you said earlier?"

"Yeah. This is one of those once in a lifetime kind of things, Megan. You're never going to have an opportunity like this come your way again."

I knew he was right, but I still felt a little overwhelmed. "It just feels like everything's happening all at once," I said, leaning into his arm. "Thanks for your help in there. Who knew walking into a place with you opens doors faster than anything else?"

He snorted and put his arm around me. "Right, not like they weren't already waiting for you or anything. I just got you where you needed to be a little faster."

I gave him a look. "She gave you her number, didn't she?" I thought I'd seen the strikingly beautiful receptionist slipping him a card, but I hadn't been sure. She'd been very sly about it all.

"Yup," Chris said, confirming my suspicions. "Tossed it in the first garbage can we passed. I already have you, doll; I don't want anyone else." He leaned down to give me a kiss before he opened the car door.

"Say that enough and I might start to believe it," I said with a grin, meeting his eyes. "It wouldn't hurt if you keep kissing me like that, either. You really need to settle on a pet name, though. Doll is Sadie, okay?"

"Duly noted, _dear_ ," he teased, giving me a peck.

"Ugg," I shuddered getting into the car. I waited to finish my sentence until he was inside. "I'd even take baby over dear, Ace. Dear is what _my parents_ call each other."

He laughed and put on his seatbelt. "Sure thing, _sugar_."

 _"Chris!"_ I groaned. "Not really an improvement!"

*          *

"Thanks for bringing me home and meeting my cousins," I said as I walked him to the door to see him out. "See you on set tomorrow?"

"Thanks for letting me meet them; your cousins are fun."

I rolled my eyes at him, wise to his tricks. "You just like them because they know all my dirt."

"Uh huh - you were such a wild child, babydoll." He grinned down at me. "Maybe you shouldn't meet my sisters - I was way worse as a teenager than you were."

I considered our age difference. "Is it weird that you were a teenager before I was even born?"

"When you say it like that it is! Now I'm the creepy old dude in that one movie that said, 'I get older, they stay the same age' or something like that. Fuck! Why'd you have to say that - now I'm not gonna be able to get that thought out of my head!"

I pulled my hand away from him, looking down at the floor. "Sorry - random thought. Next time I won't tell you when one of those kind of thoughts pops into my head."

He put one finger under my chin to make me look up at him. "No-no- _no_ -no- _no_ ; now you _gotta_ tell me or I'm going to be thinking I'm weird or something."

I nibbled on my lip as I considered him. "You _are_ weird. Some random chick runs into you and your first thought is, 'I need to date her'?"

"I really wanted to kiss you, but that wasn't the time or the place. Plus at the time you were taken, so you would've probably slapped me or something or decided you didn't want the job since it meant being around me a lot."

"I won't deny the fact I was attracted to you even then, but it was probably a good thing we got to know each other a little bit first."

"Is that what you call the two weeks it took for me to convince you to go out with me?" I rolled my eyes at him and he sighed. "I wish you were staying with me; especially now that you're going to be leaving for a couple weeks."

"Well, that just gives you three weeks to replace me."

"No," he said seriously, stopping short. His jaw firmed, eyes darkening with anger. "No more of that, okay? You gotta give us a chance first _before_ you decide it doesn't work or it never will. I hate the way you put yourself down, Megan. I wouldn't be with you if I didn't think you were worth it."

"I _am_ afraid it's not going to work."

"So am I, but I'm even more afraid of what I'd miss out on if we never gave it a try. No more talking like that, okay?"

"I'll try."

"There is no try, only do."

I snorted, shoving him out the door, or rather _trying_ to shove him out the door because, let's face it, he wasn't moving unless he wanted to. "Yes, Master Yoda. Good night, Master Yoda. See you tomorrow, Master Yoda."

"Hey wait! You forgot something," he said, turning to me with a cheesy grin.

"What?" I asked, exasperated. "What could I possibly forget?"

"My good night kiss," he said, making me giggle as he picked me up and gave me a kiss.  I wound my legs around him as he leaned me against the wall. We were both breathing hard by the time he set me back down. "Good night, baby."

"Good night, Ace." I gave him one more lingering kiss. "You better get going already. You were supposed to drop me off and get right back to get your stuff done." I stroked his face lightly, holding his eyes.

"I'd rather be with you, but you're right. Sadie's probably waiting for me. See you tomorrow." 

I closed the door finally when he turned to leave only to see both of my cousins standing at the doorway of the living room, watching avidly.

"Do I want to know how long you've been standing there?"

"Nope," Mia said, flushing and looking at Amy. "But plenty long enough for us to have decided that we don't mind one bit if you don't stay with us the whole time. If my boyfriend kissed like _that_ you'd be damn sure I wouldn't be sleeping alone."

"TMI Mia!" I groaned. 

"I wasn't the one making out with my boyfriend in the entry in a very R rated way."

"There was no nudity - I'd agree with PG-13, but not R," Amy said, waggling her eyebrows at me. "I mean, don't get me wrong here, but if I was dating someone that hot I'd be all over him too. In the bedroom. Naked. Catch my drift?"

"Amy! You're just as bad as Mia," I whined, slapping a hand to my face. "And that's saying something."

"It's saying that wine we bought the other day is calling our names," Amy agreed.

"Yay! Girls night in!" Mia chuckled. "And you need to tell us all about your upcoming trips."

 


	20. Meet the Fam

Megan's POV

"Hey Tom! Are you ready to head out?" I asked Tom Saturday morning when I met him walking into the airport.

I'd gotten us tickets to the Broncos versus the Patriots game in Denver the next day, so some of the cast, including Chris and Tom, were flying there today so I'd have a little time to show them around my neck of the woods.

What had started out as just me and Tom had grown to a group of 15 or so that included most of the cast that was currently in Atlanta. Sadie's sons had met her and Sebastian in Denver yesterday evening and they were spending the weekend catching up with Sadie's aunt, uncle and assorted cousins that lived near Denver before they joined us for the game tomorrow afternoon.

"Can't wait, darling," he said with a smile as he pulled me in for a hug, making me glad I'd worn my tall boots today. I still felt small next to him, but that was only to be expected. "Where's Chris?"

"Parking the car. I had him drop me at the curb so I could check our bag. Have you seen anyone else?"

"Not yet, but we are rather early yet." He let go of me and brushed back my wayward hair, his thumb lightly brushing my cheek before dropping his hand. "You look very nice today - and warm."

I looked down at the cute sweater dress I was wearing today over leggings. I'd dressed for Denver, not Atlanta. "Thanks – Lizzie gave it to me. I think it's from her sister's fashion line." I gave him a mischievous grin.

"I don't trust that look at all," Tom said, raising an eyebrow. "What are you up to now, darling?"

"I got you a jersey to wear tomorrow," I said as my grin widened. "Blue and orange, baby - yeah!"

"Vexing mortal," he growled in Loki's voice. "Must I wear such an atrocious combination?"

I giggled. "Yup. It even has your name on it, darling. Anyways, sorry our non-date got turned into a group outing."

"It'll be much more amusing this way, believe me." He smiled fondly, his regular accent returning. "Young Tom and my Chris are looking forward to it as well."

With three Chris' on set, things got a little confusing, but at least I knew who he meant. "Yeah, well I got Thor a jersey too. Elsa thought he looked pretty damn good in it when I sent her a picture of him trying it on. I wanted to make sure it would fit him since he's so huge right now; I swear his arm is bigger than I am."

Tom laughed and I turned my head when I smelled Chris' cologne just before he reached us, smiling up at him as he put his arm around me from behind. It was probably best that he'd come along with us today - he still tended to be jealous of the time I spent with Tom just hanging out, not that I had time for much of anything right now.

"Hey Tom. You ready for a fun weekend?" Chris asked, clapping him on the back as we turned to go inside. I pulled my small suitcase behind me, Chris holding my other hand and not letting me pull it away from him. I still wasn't comfortable with letting everyone know we were a couple, but it was only a matter of time before the paparazzi got wind of our relationship.

"Always," Tom said with a grin. "I hear its going to be quite entertaining."

"It is," I said, pulling out my phone. "Look at this picture I found of Chris wearing my team's colors!"

"It doesn't look very recent," Tom said with a laugh. "I much prefer your current look, Evans."

"Where the hell did you find that?" Chris asked, trying to take my phone from me. I hid it behind my back, laughing at his expression.

"Google, of course - some movie you did when you were younger. Bet you never thought that would come back to bite you."

"I forgot about that part," he groaned. "At least it doesn't look anything like the donkey's real jerseys. You better delete that shit!"

"I already put it on Instagram, baby."

"You didn't!" he studied my face and saw I was serious. "You did? Why?"

"Because I knew there's no way in hell I was getting you in Broncos gear-"

"Damn right! I wouldn't be caught dead in that crap." Chris stalked away, leaving me with Tom.

"And I suck at Photoshop," I admitted, finishing my sentence. "Never can get it to turn out how I want it to." Tom laughed and I gave him a cheeky grin as we started walking again to out terminal in companionable silence for a couple minutes.

"Megan, are you limping?"

"Maybe?"

"What happened, darling?"

I sighed. "The usual for me. Let's get our suitcases checked in, darling. I want to get a coffee before we need to board. If I say Dodger is that enough of an explanation?"

"Yes and no. Did he knock you down again?" Tom asked, looking at me in concern.

"Almost. I dropped the coffeepot and made a mess, so no coffee this morning means grumpy Chris."

"You didn't get hurt, did you darling?"

"Nothing major," I said, shrugging. We were at the counter, so I turned to talk to the attendant and check my bag. By the time we were done checking in Chris was back. He handed me a cup of coffee and smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry for what I said before I had my coffee," Chris said quietly, taking my free hand in his and squeezing it.

"I'm getting you that t-shirt for Christmas, jerk. But since you brought me coffee, I forgive you _and_ your devil dog."

"Are you going to tell me why you're limping?" Tom asked, looking from me to Chris.

"She got a couple burns on her legs and a cut on her foot from the broken carafe."

"Poorly placed but not bad enough to need stitches," I put in.

"At least this time," Chris grumbled. "Looks like Robert's here already." He perked up and waved at his friend, catching his attention.

"I thought he wasn't coming?" I asked, sipping my coffee cautiously. I'd had enough burns already; I didn't need to burn my mouth, too.

"He wasn't," Chris said. "But Scarlett called while I was parking to say that Rose got sick last night so she can't go. She transferred her ticket to Robert so they didn't go to waste."

"Oh, poor Rose. Hopefully it's nothing bad," I said, while simultaneously cursing in my head. Robert was not my biggest fan by any stretch of the imagination, so I'd been relieved when he'd initially declined Chris' invitation. If I was really lucky, I could avoid him for the next two days.

*             *

"So what did you think, Tom?" I asked when the game was over, the Patriots having won, much to my disgust. Chris was still gloating to Sebastian and Jeremy about it with Chris Pratt.

"It was very different from what I was expecting, but the whole experience was rather entertaining. I thought our fans tend to be a tad extreme at times, but these fans-" he shook his head in disbelief.

"Makes you glad we're on a charter flight home?" I asked, understanding what he meant.

"Yes, _exactly_ , darling."

"I thought you might feel that way, plus I couldn't be sure we'd be able to get a flight home tonight otherwise - especially with so many of us." Since they all had to be on the set in the morning, this was by far the best option.

 

*          *      *

Chris POV

"Are you still not talking to me, baby?" I asked, looking down at Megan, who refused to meet my eyes.

"Choclatino - did you hear something?" she said, looking at Mackie, who only laughed.

"I'm not apologizing for my team beating your team!" I said, crossing my arms. I hadn't been this happy about a Patriots win since the Super Bowl.

"So security will be here in 20 minutes to escort us to the limos and then it's about a half hour to the airport," Megan said, looking down at her phone briefly before walking over to the next group to tell them the plan.

"Cinnamini's not happy with you, huh?"

I grimaced. "What gave that away?"

He snorted. "Well, you did kind of go overboard on the rubbing it in. If this had been my team - which it's not - I woulda decked you if you'da said that shit to me."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll get even with me somehow."

"How was meeting the parents?"

"Good. They were supposed to be out of town but they managed to rearrange their plans to come meet us. They were really cool and her mom's a lot like mine."

"So they're going to be decent to have as in-laws?"

I laughed and shook my head at him. "I've barely known her a month. Don't you think it's a little soon for that?"

"You can't tell me the thought didn't cross your mind," he persisted. "It's different with her, isn't it."

"Yeah, it is. It's gonna suck, having her so far away for that long. I don't even want to think about it yet." By this time next week, she was going to heading to Australia.

"Dude, you damn near went nuts when she was gone for a week with Sadie and you barely knew her then. Are we going to have to sedate you when she leaves this time?"

I sighed heavily. "I'm not ruling out that option just yet."

"Damn boy, you've got it _bad_ ," Mackie said with a grin, slapping me on the back.

 

*   * *

Megan's POV

Robert waved me over and I decided I couldn't avoid him any longer. He patted the chair next to him and I sat down cautiously, wondering what he wanted to say to me.

"Thank you for organizing this outing, Red. It's been a nice change of scenery."

I finished my beer and set down my cup on the table beside me. "You're welcome, Robert. Are you enjoying yourself? I didn't think you were much of a football fan."

"I'm not, but I had to see how this was all going to play out," he said with a smirk, handing me another beer.

I cocked my head in confusion, my eyebrows drawing together. "I don't follow; care to elaborate?"

His smirk deepened. "Well, you're seeing Evans but had a date set up with Tom, so I'm a little surprised things are going as well as they have."

"This wasn't a date and Tom and I are just friends," I said, relaxing into my seat and taking a drink. "I had to make good on our little wager. I wasn't originally planning on the whole cast coming along, but luckily I know some people that could make this happen on short notice."

I gestured at the private box. We'd had visitors from the other boxes periodically, including the teams' owners. These guys couldn't go anywhere without drawing attention, which had made planning a semi-relaxing weekend challenging to say the least - and that didn't include coordinating travel plans. Most of them had flown in today, so I had them meet up at our hotel and we'd taken two limos here early enough that we hadn't had much of an issue with the crowds. We'd gotten the VIP tour, which had made all the football fans happy - including Liam and Isaac. 

"Yeah, putting us out with the general public doesn't generally go smoothly, but you did a good job of keeping us from being swarmed."

"I tried my best," I sighed. Since the Infinity War trailer came out, they couldn't go anywhere without people noticing them.

"So I hear you're going on tour with that one guy you did that video with?"

I snorted. "Could you _be_ any more vague? I think you're just trying to push my buttons."

"Maybe. Depends, is it working?" he said with another smirk.

"Yeah, no," I snorted, rolling my eyes at him. "You can stop channeling Tony at any time. He annoys me."

His little laugh acknowledged my jibe. He turned and studied me for a long moment. "You've been avoiding me."

I shrugged. "You don't like me; you've never liked me - you've made yourself pretty clear that you only tolerate me." I shifted, intending to stand, but Robert set a hand on my arm in wordless entreaty.

"I never said that. You just aren't what I expected; I'm not trying to insult you, I'm just trying to get to know you."

"Why?" I asked bluntly, the alcohol loosening my tongue. We'd been drinking for a couple hours now.

"Do I need to have an ulterior motive?"

"No, but you have one."

"You're good for him," Robert said, studying me. "You make him...happy... that's not quite the right word but it'll do. You aren't just trying to use him for your own 5 minutes of fame."

"I'd rather not be in the spotlight," I agreed. "But I do like Chris a lot," I said, looking over to where he was talking wildly with his hands to Liam and Isaac.

"He's a likeable guy. I just don't want him to get hurt. What's going to happen when you leave for this tour and you spend a couple weeks with that pop star?"

"I'm not the cheating kind, Tony."

"Robert," he corrected, shaking his head slightly. "Go on."

"I'm the one who always gets cheated on, not the other way around. Shawn's just a friend."

"That you kissed."

"For the music video! Not real life. How is that different from Chris making out with Emily on set Friday? That was a little weird to watch, by the way; I think I'd rather not have seen that."

"It's not, but I wanted to see what you'd say. So you fly to Australia for the rest of the tour?"

"Yeah. The video and song both jumped to number 1 on the charts already, so we'll be performing it for the last few stops."

"I've heard it on the radio. You guys sound good together - really good, actually."

"Thanks. It's almost time to go, so I'm going to start getting everyone moving. You all have work tomorrow."

"And you don't?"

I shook my head, standing up and pulling him to his feet. "Sadie's heading  home with the boys first thing tomorrow morning, so I won't be on set this week. I have some other things to take care of for her before the holiday."

 

* * *

Chris' POV

I was thankful for Megan's foresight in having enough security on hand to get our whole group to the limos without any major delays. Unsurprisingly, the news crews had found out we were there and wanted a few quick interviews with us, wondering why we were all here. I kept my arm around Megan, who was content to let me do the talking.

"Chris, is there anything you'd like to say about tonight's game?"

"Well, yeah - it was another solid performance by the Patriots and Tom Brady. They came in ready for anything and it really showed. Keep up the good work, guys!"

"Chris, we can't help but notice your friend here doesn't root for your team."

I smiled down at her in mock regret. "That's true - that's very true. My beautiful girlfriend, Megan, is a dyed in the wool Broncos fan; as much as I've tried, I still haven't managed to convert her into a Patriots fan. Not saying it won't happen-"

"It won't," Megan said. "As disappointing as tonight's game was, it all boils down to the fact that we had a couple tough breaks and made a few mistakes that worked out in the Patriots favor. I'm sure next week we'll be back on track again."

"Thanks for visiting with us and I'm sure we'll be seeing more of you all soon."

"You certainly will," I said, easing us out of the interview. The reporter let us go, moving on to Pratt and Mackie for a quick sound bite.

 

*       *           *

Megan's POV

"I can't believe I let him talk me into this," I muttered to myself as I walked off the plane Saturday morning in Boston and went in search of my luggage. The airport was a total zoo, but at least I'd expected that.

Chris was meeting me at the airport to drive me to his mom's house for a family dinner - and so I could meet his mom and sisters. I hoped they liked me or otherwise I was pretty sure our relationship would be over. He and his mom were really close and talked almost daily, so her opinion was important to him - he'd even told her when he'd lost his virginity as a teenager. I mean I was pretty close to my mom, but not _that_ close.

I found both of my suitcases at the baggage claim and pulled them off to the side before calling Chris to see where he was. My flight had gotten in a little late, but only by 10 or 15 minutes.

"Hey baby," he said, answering right away. "I'm to your right about a hundred feet away. They changed the terminal your flight was landing in and I didn't notice right away or I would've been over here already." I looked to my right and saw him in a grayish black peacoat, scarf, and glasses.

"I see you," I said, smiling. "Nice disguise. Fangirls on your trail again?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Somehow they spotted me. I don't know how that always happens."

"Because you walk like a friggin model. I'm hanging up now," I warned him, pulling the phone away from my ear. He was almost close enough to talk to now.

"I can't believe you hung up on me!" He said, pulling me into his arms and hugging me tightly. I inhaled deeply, breathing in his scent; since he was around Sadie, he'd went easy on the cologne, letting more of his natural scent come through.

"You're right here, Chris," I sighed, feeling much happier now; I'd missed him more than I'd like to admit. "I'd much rather talk to you in person."

He gave me a quick peck on the forehead. "Same. Let's get outta here already; I missed you so much, baby."

"Missed you too," I said, smiling up at him and letting go.

He took the larger suitcase and pulled it for me while I rolled the smaller one behind me. I'd had to bring everything I was going to take with on tour because I was flying out tomorrow afternoon. He put my suitcases in the back end and climbed in, pulling me close for a proper kiss that was long overdue but left us both wanting more.

"Can't wait to show you my place later," he said with a small smile when we finally broke the kiss. "We're _not_ staying at my Ma's tonight."

"Why not?" I asked, taking his hand as he started the car. "Not that I really mind, but I'm curious as to your reason."

His lips curved endearingly. "Because you still aren't very quiet, baby."

"You like it when I'm loud," I pointed out, rolling my eyes at him. We both knew that if I tried to keep quiet it just encouraged him to try harder to make me lose control - and he was amazingly good at that.

"Never said I didn't," he laughed and kissed my hand, his beard tickling me. "I just want you all to myself for once - I never get you alone these days, so I'm not sharing you with anyone tonight."

 

* * *

Chris' POV

I was pretty excited for Megan to meet my family. I'd missed her a lot this past week when she'd been back in Colorado for Thanksgiving. I held her hand, interlacing our fingers as we walked up the front steps of my childhood home.

"Very nice - it's pretty much what I pictured you growing up in. Very New England-ish."

I chuckled at her phrasing and opened the door for her, quickly grabbing Dodger before he could pounce on her. "Down, boy. You know better than that."

"Hi boy! Hasn't stopped him yet," she sighed, giving him some attention and letting him get a couple licks in while I kept him in line with a hand on his collar. My mom and sisters watched in amusement as my dog loved on my girlfriend.

"Ma, this is Megan," I said, letting go of Dodger now that he'd finally calmed down.

I smiled as my mom immediately pulled her in for a hug, squeezing tightly. "It's so good to finally meet you, Megan. You're even prettier than the pictures Chris showed us."

She flushed at the praise. "It's nice to meet you too, Mrs Evans. Thanks for inviting me."

"Call me Lisa, honey," my mom insisted as she let go of Megan.

"All right, Lisa. You have a lovely home," Megan replied just as my attention was caught by the sound of Isaac loudly clattering down the stairs, shouting Megan's name repeatedly.

"Megan, Megan, Megan - you're here! Guess what?" Isaac asked exuberantly. I saw the impending accident and intervened, easily catching the youth by the torso mid leap before he could knock Megan over and set him down beside me.

"Easy, champ. She's smaller than you, remember?" I kept a hand on him to make sure he listened.

"Sorry! I tripped," he said, squirming out of my grasp and giving Megan a hug.

"What, squirt?" she asked, grinning at his enthusiasm, wordlessly thanking me for saving her from the large human puppy with a hand on my side.

"We're going to Australia for Christmas!"

"Yeah, I know - I was there when Thor said he and his brothers were going to teach you both how to surf, remember?"

"Oh, yeah - I forgot!" he said before he ran off, a pack of smaller kids that had come from another room following after him.

"Looks like it's a full house," she said, blinking in surprise at the amount of small people in pursuit of him.

"Yeah, the kids all love Isaac," I said with a chuckle. "I think they were playing hide and go seek."

"He's so good with them," my sister agreed as she came up to introduce herself. "I'm Carly – Chris' older sister." She hugged Megan briefly as well before stepping aside for my younger sister to meet her.

"And I'm Shanna, his baby sister. We're so glad you could make it for a couple days. We've heard a lot about you."

Megan looked over at me, but I gave her an innocent look that I knew she didn't believe for a minute. I grinned when Scott tapped her shoulder and she turned see him standing there.

"Scottie – hey, I missed you," she said, throwing her arms around him.

"Missed you too, pumpkin," he said as he pulled her into a tight hug, lifting her off her feet. "Things have been boring without you around for the past week or two. Sorry I missed the game."

"I'm not. I can only handle one Patriots fan at a time," she growled.

"She's still grumpy about that?" he asked me, letting go of her.

"What'd you bring that up for? I told you not to!" I groused but Scott only laughed.

"Dinner's ready if you two want to wash up. Carly, Shanna - why don't you wrangle your progeny to the table?"

"Where's Sadie?" Megan asked, looking around as my mom and sisters headed for the kitchen and living room.

"Mom's talking to Seb on the phone," Liam said as he came downstairs. "She'll be down in a few."

"Hey Liam. How's it going?" Megan said, grinning at the teen.

"Good. I don't want to go back to school Monday."

"Tough, you've gotta. I don't want to fly for a day straight either, so why don't you invent a teleportation device?"

"I'm sure I can find a cardboard box and a sharpie somewhere," he replied with a smirk, giving her a side hug.

"Calvin and Hobbes-ing it?" she asked, reminding me those were Sadie's all time favorite comic strip characters.

"Yup. Works for him. What was Isaac so excited about? I heard him stomping down the stairs so I figured you were here."

"Christmas with the Hemsworths. I'm sorry you have to live with him for the next month."

"Me too," he sighed with feeling. "At least Mom will be home for a while again so he shouldn't drive me too batty. Can't you take me with you on tour?"

"Sorry, Champ. I better figure out how it all works first," she sighed commiseratingly, letting him go on ahead. I pulled her into my arms, just holding her for a long moment. "Not that I'm complaining, but what's this for?"

"Everyone else got a hug," I said, brushing her hair back and cupping her face.

"You got one first, Ace," Megan reminded me, going up on her tiptoes to press a quick kiss to my cheek. "Come on - I'm starving."

"Good, cuz Ma made enough to feed an army," I murmured before capturing her soft lips, feeling the need to taste her cherry lip gloss again. The sound of footsteps on the stairs had me letting go of her.

"Hey Boss - long time no see!" Megan said, making Sadie laugh.

"I missed you too," Sadie said, giving the smaller woman a hug. "How was meeting the fam? Sorry I missed it - I didn't know you were here until Liam told me."

"Good, I think. Your kid tried to kill me."

"Which one this time and why?" Sadie asked, linking arms with her and steering her towards the dining room.

"Isaac. You don't even sound surprised."

"They're my kids," Sadie said, a hint of humor in her voice. "At this point there's not a lot they do that surprises me anymore after all the shit my brothers pulled and knowing Chris and Sebastian as well as I do."

"He tried scaring you again, didn't he?" Megan asked, giving me a look. I gave her the innocent look again and they both laughed.

"You learn fast," Sadie agreed. "He forgot I've been doing fight training, so I may or may not have punched him."

"You've got a mean right hook," I said, rubbing my jaw. "And it's a good thing I have to keep the beard for a while yet."

"Serves you right," Megan said, narrowing her eyes at me and I knew she was thinking about the one and only time I'd scared her.

I loved scaring people - it was kind of my hobby. That said, I'd promised never to scare Megan again; I'd done that once, right after she started working for Sadie but before we knew she was being abused. I'd jumped out intending to scare Seb and she'd been there instead. She'd actually fallen down the steps of his trailer trying to get away from me while freaking out. Sebastian had been right behind her and had luckily caught her and held her until her panic attack was over. I'd apologized profusely, gotten chewed out by both Seb and Sadie, and Megan had been pretty mad at me for a while, too.

* *

I waited until the kids had left the table and Megan went to the bathroom to ask, "So, what do you think of Megan?"

"Oh, I _like_ her, Chris," my mom said with a smile, "she's very sweet and she really likes you."

"I like her, too," Carly said, giving me a pat on the arm. "She doesn't let you get away with murder like the last one. Someone's gotta keep you from getting too big of a head."

I snorted; Carly's opinion of some of my previous girlfriends hadn't been very complimentary, to say the least. I was happy she seemed to genuinely like Megan. I really hadn't been worried about that, though; _everyone_ liked Megan, even the more skeptical of my friends, like Robert.

"Between the both of us, I think we do a pretty good job of that," Sadie said, taking another small piece of the New York cheesecake and picking at it slowly. "This is soooo good!"

"Glad you like it, doll," I grinned. I knew cheesecake was Sadie's favorite dessert, so I'd had a couple sent over from a place that made the best ones I'd ever had for today. She'd eaten more today than I'd seen her eat in a long time, saying that everything was really good. Studying Sadie, I noticed she'd finally regained some of what she'd lost initially after Justin's death. She'd put on more muscle due to all the fight training she had to do these days and she looked healthy again - and happy. I attempted to steal a bite from her plate and she blocked me with her fork.

"Get your own! It's right there, babe."

"You do, for the most part," Shanna said with a smirk at our antics. "Scott doesn't do a very good job - he just encourages you."

"I do not!" Scott said, sticking his tongue out at her while my brother-in-laws just laughed. "I say 'no' to his really bad ideas!"

"Does she want kids?" Carly asked, handing me her sleeping baby to hold, having seen me eyeing him. Both my sisters knew how much I loved holding my nieces and nephews when they were this little. This one still had that new baby smell, which was even better. "She's so good with them."

"Mom showed us the picture of her with Hemsworth's kids and it was absolutely adorable," Shanna added.

"Yeah," I said after a moment, wondering how much I should really say about it. Megan and I hadn't talked about it again after the observatory; I hadn't wanted to bring it up because I didn't want to upset her. "I think she does, but she...umm... can't have them. Sadie - you're going to have to explain."

Sadie nodded and turned to my sister. "Later, Shanna, okay? Chris doesn't understand well enough for him to explain beyond the fact that they don't have to be as careful as you or I have to."

I felt myself flush as my family talked about my sex life over dessert and coffee. Thankfully, Megan came back in a moment later so the conversation moved on to other topics. She gave me a long look when she noticed the baby, but didn't say anything. I leaned back in my chair and put my free arm around her again as she sat down and took a drink of water, her other hand resting on my leg easily.

"So tell us about Shawn Mendes and this tour you're joining up with," Carly asked. "Chris showed us the music video, but we wanted to hear all about it from you. He leaves out the important stuff."

I played with Megan's hair while she talked, just watching her expression and taking in how she talked with her hands when she was excited. She glanced over at me often as she told the story, making sure I was fine with her talking about him. I'd accepted that she didn't see him as anything more than a friend and was mostly doing this because it was something she'd always wanted to do. Island Records had given her a decent contract for the last part of the tour and if this worked out well, she'd probably go on his next tour, too - and maybe even put out songs of her own eventually. I was all for her pursuing her dreams; I'd be a hypocrite if I said anything else.

* *

"I didn't think you were planning on giving your sister back her baby," Megan teased when it started to get dark.

"I don't have what it needed," I said, shaking my head. "No formula yet, so no bottle feeding."

"Gotcha. I knew your family was close - I just didn't realize they were all _that_ close."

"Yeah, well after my parents divorced my mom was a little lonely. She convinced my sister and her family to move in so they could save up for a nicer house in a better neighborhood than they used to live in. I told her I'd buy a place for them near Ma, but she wouldn't let me. I put money away for my nieces and nephews instead so they can go to whatever college they want when they get older."

"That's nice of you. You looked pretty comfy with that baby snuggled into you," she said before changing the subject. "So did I pass the family inspection?"

"With flying colors," I said with a grin, taking her hand in mine as I started the car. "Now I can't wait to show you my place. It's not far from here, just in a little quieter neighborhood."

 

*          *            *

Megan's POV

I watched the scenery as Chris drove, my hand engulfed by his larger one and his thumb lightly rubbing absently over the back of my hand, smiling as I exclaimed over cute holiday decorations. I didn't know what to expect but when he took another turn and slowed a little, I knew we were getting close. It was a nice, upscale neighborhood that was just picture perfect.

"Do you need both of your suitcases tonight?" Chris asked as he parked in the attached garage of a decent sized white ranch style house.

"No, just the smaller one," I said, getting out of the car carefully so I didn't drop the container of food Lisa had insisted we take with us when we left. "The other is all wardrobe. I didn't know what I all needed to bring so I'm prepared for all kinds of weather."

He took my smaller suitcase out of the back end and carried it to the door, pausing to enter the unlock code before setting it inside the door and moving aside so I could enter.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, shutting the door behind us. I knew why he was asking but I wanted him just as much as he wanted me right now. I'd waited all day for this moment and I suddenly couldn't stand waiting any longer.

"Not for food," I replied with a grin.

He took the Tupperware from me and put it in the fridge so I could take off my shoes and coat. The minute they were off I was pulled close for a sweetly passionate kiss.

"Up," he murmured, warning me a moment before he swept me off my feet and carried me to what I assumed was his bedroom without breaking the kiss or running into anything. He set me back on my feet, pulling back from my lips long enough to growl, "I missed you so damn much, baby."

"Same," I said as I claimed his lips again, my fingers undoing the buttons of his shirt and pushing it off him. He found the hem of my dress and pulled it up and off me, tossing it aside. His hands cupped my breasts, kneading them through the fabric of my bra before unclasping it and tossing it aside.

My hands slowly traveled the vast expanse of his torso, rememorizing every ridge and valley of his hard muscles. When I reached his jeans, I slid my fingers under the hem of his underwear, feeling him suck in a breath when I touched the more sensitive skin of his lower abdomen. I started working to free him of his jeans and sliding them off his hips, wanting his clothes out of the way.

His fingers slid under my leggings, tugging lightly on the waistband and I knew he wanted me to take them off now; if he did it they wouldn't survive the experience. His hands were just rough enough to snag the thin fabric and ruin them accidentally. I hurried to slide the leggings and my panties off and stepped out, setting them aside as Chris turned back to me, having  already divested himself of his jeans and underwear.

I loved looking at him like this, his whole body on display just for me, ink and all. He pulled me close, kissing me again as he steadily backed me to the bed before picking me up by the hips and letting me wind my legs around his waist, trapping his hard cock between us.

Hot desire pooled in my belly as our tongues teased and stroked each other. I couldn't wait any longer, so I took matters into my own hands. I was already so wet for him that with a wriggle of my hips, the tip of his cock slid inside me easily. He groaned quietly against my lips as he sank into me, his muscles tightening under my hands. I gasped in pleasure, sinking my fingertips into his biceps, it felt so good to have him inside me again. He slowly filled me, giving me a moment to adjust to his girth before he started moving.

It was like we were suddenly both on fire and you'd think it had been weeks since we'd seen each other instead of days. He caressed my breasts, rolling, tweaking the tightly furled nipples as I arched my back and moaned. He effortlessly lifted me higher to take my breasts into his mouth as he teased me with longer, slower strokes before picking up the pace again.

Not in the mood to let him tease me, I soon reached a hand between us and stimulated myself just enough to push me over the edge, tightening myself around him as I came, my orgasm bringing on his moments later and I could feel him pulse inside me.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, wrapping his arms around me tightly and kissing me gently. I loved the feeling of closeness that followed our lovemaking, the way he held me as he tried not to leave my body until he softened enough that didn't have a choice.

"Someone was a little impatient tonight," he teased, kissing my forehead. "What got into you?"

"You," I giggled, wriggling my hips. "You didn't seem to mind one bit, Evans."

"No, I didn't," he agreed, a grin spreading across his handsome face. "I've been wanting to do that since I picked you up at the airport this morning."

"Be honest, you've wanted to do that since before I left." His steel blue eyes met mine and I was at a loss for words to describe the emotions I saw there. He brought one hand up to cup my face before kissing me gently.

"No more talking about leaving tonight," he declared, kissing down my neck. "I don't want to think about how little time I have with you right now."

"Convince me why I shouldn't," I ordered, one hand tugging lightly at his hair to get his attention. I knew what he was up to - one fast round was never enough to satisfy him - or me. Now that we'd taken the edge off of our need he reverted to his usual thorough self, intent on having me screaming his name several more times before he'd make love to me again.

"How about I show you what I intended to do before you sidetracked me?" He said, eyes darkening again as I felt him starting to swell inside me again.

 

* * *

Chris' POV

"I love you," I murmured in Megan's ear as we laid on my bed in a tangle of limbs. I softly kissed her temple, not expecting a response; I knew from her quiet, even breaths that she was already asleep, worn out from our lovemaking. I'd never intended to fall in love with her, but from the first time I'd met her I hadn't been able to keep my mind from thinking about her.

I was incredibly glad I'd managed to get Megan to commit to coming to see me this weekend; until she'd texted me yesterday to tell me what time her plane was landing I was convinced she'd find a way to back out of it.

I'd never been with a girl that was so skittish about talking about the future before. Most of the other girls I'd dated hadn't been shy about telling me about what they wanted - ring, house, kids - in detail - but not her. Megan was the queen of deflection and in the short time we'd been together I still didn't know what she wanted, which bothered me a little bit. I understood that she'd been burnt enough before that until enough time had passed, she wouldn't believe that I was going to stay with her.

In a way, I realized that seeing her with my family today had decided things for me; I'd wanted their approval in a way I'd never thought I'd need. I'd vetted both of my brother-in-laws for my sisters and they'd always returned the favor - any girl I married didn't just get me, she'd get my whole family too. As my eyes started to get heavy, I shifted just enough so I could pull the covers over us and let sleep claim me, a smile on my lips and Megan sprawled on top of me - right where I wanted her.

I woke up early the next morning in a great mood. Easing myself out of bed so I didn't disturb Megan, I found a pair of shorts and pulled them on and walked out into the kitchen, intending to make breakfast for us. I was starving, having unintentionally skipped supper last night.

I decided on pancakes and sang quietly to myself while I whisked the batter together. I was about halfway done when Megan came padding into the kitchen in one of my t-shirts, the neckline falling off her shoulders. I smiled, seeing how long it was on her; it covered everything and then some.

She came up behind me and pressed a kiss to my back as she slid her arms around me, resting her head on me. I turned, taking her into my arms and kissing her soundly.

"I love seeing you in nothing but my shirt," I said with a smile. It never got old, seeing her looking so delectably rumpled and wearing my shirts, so mine in every way. "Can I take a picture of you in it?"

She shrugged and pulled the shirt back up on her shoulder. "If you want to, but you're going to burn the pancakes," she teased, pushing herself away from me. "We have time today, Chris."

"Not enough," I replied, kissing her again.

I grabbed my phone and snapped a couple of her just for myself before I set her on the counter beside the stove, keeping one arm around her while finishing making breakfast. We talked between kisses, just enjoying being with each other while we could. By this afternoon, I'd have to take her back to the airport and then I wouldn't see her in person for another three weeks.

* * 

I kissed her soundly after parking the car, a hint of desperation creeping in. She put one finger to my lips when she pulled away to catch her breath.

"Don't say it," she ordered, somehow knowing I wanted to tell her that I loved her. "Please don't."

"Why shouldn't I tell you how much I care for you?"

"Because it won't change anything; I'm still getting on that plane, Chris." She stared evenly at me for a moment before I put my arms around her and pulled her tight, feeling the tension in her muscles that hadn't been there earlier.

"This is because of him, isn't it?" I sighed, rubbing her back lightly. I still didn't entirely understand why she didn't want me to tell her I loved her, but I didn't want to fight, either. "It's okay, baby. I know you have to go, but that doesn't mean that I won't miss you."

She pulled back slightly, meeting my eyes. "I'll miss you, too, Chris."

I took her hands in mine and kissed her fingers. "The fact that you're leaving for a couple weeks won't change how I feel about you, Megan. I'm not trying to manipulate you into staying by saying I love you."

Her lips parted slightly in surprise and she set one hand along the side of my face, taking a deep breath before speaking. "I'm trying really hard to not be skeptical right now, but while part of me knows you're not like any of them and you're really not going to cheat on me the moment I'm on that plane-"

"Damn straight I'm not," I muttered, mildly offended by being lumped in the same category as her cheating ex, but now I understood why she avoided making future plans.

"The other part of me is really, _really_ skeptical and believes that in a week I'll see photos of you with another girl and maybe get a text saying we're through or you found someone else before I find out about it on social media."

I looked at her steadily. "How long until you trust me, Megan?"

She took her hands off me, sitting back in her seat and folding her arms. "Trust goes both ways, Chris - and I _know_ you don't trust me around Shawn."

She was right, to an extent. "You, I trust - it's _him_ that I don't trust," I clarified, talking with my hands as my volume increased. "I'm a guy - I know how we think. And this guy, who's just as famous as I am, has done everything in his power to get you on this tour with him which _just so happens_ to be half the world away!"

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "So let me get this straight - I'm _not_ going because I can sing worth a damn? Silly me, thinking that was the reason why I was doing all this. Whatever was I thinking?"

Fuck. I'd just managed to land myself in deep shit judging from the tone of her voice. I don't know how the woman was able to convey such crystal clear contempt with just a certain tone of voice, but she did.

"Baby, that's not what I said! You're a great singer, Megan. I just think there's more to it than just singing."

"I almost bought your little act," she said in a flat monotone, putting her hand on the door handle. "I really wanted to think you meant what you said."

I reached over and grabbed her hand, linking our fingers. "I do mean it. All of it, but if he doesn't put the moves on you at least once I'd be amazed."

"I'm a big girl; I tie my own sandals and everything." I snorted at her quote. "Seriously, I can handle myself, Chris. There's no reason for you to be jealous of Shawn."

"I'm sorry; I'm trying not to be jealous, but it's hard."

"You were doing so good until now," she agreed. I traced her lips with my thumb, freeing the lower one from being savaged by her teeth. I leaned over and kissed her, smiling to myself when I heard the little noise she made when I pulled her tight to me. Her fingers teased the nape of my neck and slid down to tug on my shirt, pulling me closer to her until her forehead touched mine.

"You can't just kiss me and expect to get your way," Megan said, staring into my eyes and sliding her arms around my neck. "That's not how things work in the real world, you know."

I snorted, knowing I was mostly forgiven. "So I've been told," I said with a smile. "But I can't seem to stop myself from kissing you, baby." I kissed the top of her head and just held her for a moment. "Come on, I'll walk in with you."

"Are you sure it's safe for you do that? It's going to be packed in there, Chris."

"No, but I'll help you get your bags checked so you don't have to wrangle both of them all the way to your terminal." I was grasping at straws to find any excuse to prolong my time with her and she knew it.

"No."

"Why not?"

"If you see me off in there, you're going to start crying and then I'm going to start crying-"

I cut her off with a kiss. "You worry too much, baby."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Says the guy with all the conspiracy theories. Ten bucks says you cry first."

"You're on," I said, forcing a smile.

 


	21. First Tour

Megan's POV

It was crazy, being on a real live tour. I hit the ground running and was thankful I'd had some time to work on my voice ahead of time because I was singing for a lot longer than I was used to. My contract had me doing background vocals for several songs, filling in for Camilla Cabello so Shawn could do _I Know What You Did Last Summer_ live and of course, our song.

* *

I saw someone familiar as I made my way backstage after my first live performance in Brisbane, waiting to go out for the encore we had planned. I had to do a double take to make sure it really was who I thought it was because I hadn't expected to see him _here_.

"Megan!" A tall brunet said with a large smile as he made his way through the crowd of people backstage and gave me a hug.

"Liam, hi!" I said excitedly to the large Aussie, returning the hug. "I didn't know you were coming tonight!"

He gave me a wry grin as he let go of me. "I saw on Instagram that you were going to be here tonight, so I thought I would stop by."

"I'm so glad you came! I just now realized I didn't think to ask your brother for your number so I could text you to say I was going to be in your neck of the woods for a couple days."

"I'll give you my phone and you can put yours in," he said, handing me his phone. "I'm sure you don't have yours on you right now. I really just wanted to stop in and say hi. I caught your duet; I didn't know you could sing like that - you're really good." I entered my number and texted myself so I could store his later.

"You're not the only one to say that," I said with a grin.

"Hey Meg," Shawn said, coming up next to me, having just finished taking his bow for the main show. "You ready for the encore?"

"Yeah. _Rewrite the Stars_?"

"Yup. Hi, I'm Shawn," he said, holding out his hand. Liam took it, shaking the younger man's hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Shawn. I'm Liam."

Shawn glanced over at me, confused. "Hemsworth," I said. "Not Sadie's Liam."

"I thought you looked familiar," Shawn said as he placed the other man.

"I made him watch _The Hunger Games_ with me last night since he'd never seen it," I explained. "You gotta hear this one, Liam. It's my favorite song right now," I said, turning to head back on stage with Shawn.

"All right," he said, following us up to the stairs. "Is this something new?"

"You could say that," I said with a smile. "You'll see."

We went back on stage for the encore to an incredibly loud, screaming audience. I took my spot in front of my microphone, looking out at the crowd and just taking in the moment while I waited for my cue. I'd never expected for this to happen - but here I was, living my dream.

"You've been such a great crowd, Brisbane - so Megan and I have another little treat for you tonight," Shawn said, pausing because the audience's screams crescendoed. "We're going to perform a little number called _Rewrite the Stars_ , which isn't actually one of my songs-"

"I think they'll forgive you once they hear it, Shawn."

"I hope so," he laughed. "So this song is from _The Greatest Showman_ , Hugh Jackman's newest movie." If I thought the crowd was loud for Shawn, they were even louder at the mention of the famous Australian actor. "Hope you like it."

[Shawn: ] **You know I want you / it's not a secret I try to hide/ I know you want me/ so don't keep saying our hands are tied/ You claim it's not in the cards / but fate is pulling you miles away and out of reach from me / But you're here in my heart/ so who can stop me if I decide that you're my destiny?**

**What if we rewrite the stars? / Say you were made to be mine / Nothing could keep us apart / You'd be the one I was meant to find/ It's up to you / and it's up to me/ No one can say what we get to be/ So why don't we rewrite the stars?/ Maybe the world could be ours tonight.**

[Me:] _You think it's easy/ You think I don't want to run to you / But there are mountains and doors that we can't walk through/ I know you're wondering why because we're able to be / just you and me/ But within these walls/ Know that when we go outside/ You're going to wake up and see / that it was hopeless after all._

_No one can rewrite the stars / How can we say you'll be mine/ Everything keeps us apart /And I'm not the one you were meant to find/ It's not up to you, It's not up to me/ When everyone tells us what we can be/ How can we rewrite the stars?/ Say that the world can't be ours tonight/_

[Both:] **_All I want is to fly with you /All I want is to fall with you / So just give me all of you_**

[Me:] _If it's impossible?_

[Shawn:] **It's not impossible**

[Me:] _Is it impossible?_

[Both:] **_Say that it's possible/ How do we rewrite the stars? / And say you were meant to be mine? /And nothing can keep us apart/ Cause you are the one I was meant to find / It's up to you / And it's up to me / No one can say what we get to be / Why don't we rewrite the stars?/ Taking the world to be ours._**

[Me:] _You know I want you / It's not a secret I try to hide / But I can't have you / We're bound to break and my hands are tied._

There was a moment of silence and then the audience erupted into wild applause. It was safe to say we brought down the house with that performance. Shawn took his bow and gestured to me. I took my bow and waved before leaving the stage, letting him close out the show.

"Thanks for coming and drive safe," Shawn said. "You've been great Brisbane; love you guys."

"What did you think?" I asked Liam when I found him again.

"You sounded really good. If you're done for the night did you want to go grab a bite?"

"Sure - it's going to take me a while to get the adrenaline out of my system. I'm free for the rest of the night, so let me grab my purse and I'm ready."

* *

We went to a restaurant that wasn't far from my hotel that Liam said was great. After looking over the menu, I saw that it was vegetarian place.

"So what's good here? I'm really hungry - I didn't eat a lot earlier because I was so nervous. I haven't been in front of that big of a crowd before."

"You didn't seem nervous from what I could see," he said, looking at me speculatively. "I wouldn't have known if you didn't say anything."

"Good," I said, feeling relieved. "So tell me what you really thought of that last song now that we're mostly alone."

I had to wait until the waitress was done taking our order before he spoke, playing with his beer in a way that told me he was considering what to really say to me.

"It's a great song – you guys sound really good together."

"I sense a hesitation there. Spit it out - I can handle criticism, Liam."

He looked at me for a long moment. "You know what the song's saying, right?"

"Yeah, I do. Shawn talked to Camilla and I talked to Chris when the label asked us to promote the song from the movie after hearing our other duet. Same parent company...free-ish publicity," I shrugged.

"So this wasn't his idea?"

I smiled at the suspicion in his voice. He was cut from the same cloth as both Chris and his brother. "No. This came from the higher ups – believe me, as much as I love the song, I completely understand what you're saying. So who asked you to check up on me - your brother or my boyfriend?"

"Both of them...and Tom...and Sadie...and Elsa."

"Stop while you're ahead. Is there anyone who _didn't_ ask you to check on me?" I sighed, somewhat pleased that my friends wanted to make sure I was fine halfway across the world from them but slightly annoyed as well that they thought I couldn't leave home without a babysitter. "Don't answer that," I said when he opened his mouth. "It was a rhetorical question. I'm not really surprised; I expected something like that from them. I just didn't expect... well...you." I gestured at him.

He laughed. "Yeah, I know what you mean. So you and Evans, huh? I figured you'd be with Tom by now."

I shook my head. "No, Tom and I are better friends than anything else. So are Elsa and the kids back home now?"

He shook his head. "Not yet. They'll fly in sometime late next week for Christmas. Chris said you're going to be here for a couple days over the holiday since Sadie's going to be here with her kids."

"Yeah, so I'm coming back from Tokyo to Sydney for Sadie's photoshoot and then we're going to Chris and Elsa's. Are you and Miley going to be there?"

"I will; Miley's going to Nashville for Christmas and I have to stay here for work. I'm doing another TV series, so I don't have a lot of free time at the moment. I heard you took Tom and Chris to an  American style football game a couple weeks ago."

I grinned, leaning back in my seat. "You totally missed out, bro. You would've loved it. I would have loved it more if my team had beaten Chris', but it didn't happen."

"It sounded like a lot of fun from what I heard. Maybe next time when I'm in the States. Miley and I just bought a place in Nashville, which isn't terribly far from Atlanta. A couple hours, I think."

Our food arrived then and we dug in, not feeling the need to fill the silence. From the first time I'd met him I'd gotten on well with Liam. I snapped a quick picture and sent it to Chris with the caption: _My babysitter found_ _me and decided I_ _needed to eat more._

"Are you leaving in the morning?" Liam asked, regaining my attention. Now that the show was over and I'd gotten something to eat, I was exhausted. My body hadn't quite adjusted to this time zone yet and it thought I should be sleeping already.

"Yeah, the bus is driving to Sydney first thing tomorrow. It's further away than I thought - like 10 hours from here." I yawned. "I think we get a little time for sightseeing each day and then we have rehearsals."

"I can take a hint. Let's get you back to your hotel before you fall asleep."

"Thanks for supper - you're my favorite babysitter, Liam."

He laughed as he escorted me out. "You're welcome - and you're not _that_ much younger than me."

 

*         *          *

Chris' POV

I called Megan on one of our longer breaks just to talk for a little bit. She sounded horrible when she answered, her voice cutting out. "You okay, baby? You sound a little rough."

"Just recovering," she said so quietly I had to turn my volume up all the way.

"From what? I didn't think you got hangovers."

"I don't," she said, clearing her throat. "Shawn didn't believe me when I told him I'd get seasick since it was a really nice day and the water was pretty smooth."

"But you still got sick?"

"As a dog," she affirmed. "The boat driver gave me a Preggie pop and that helped, but I still feel awful."

"What's a Preggie pop?" I asked, confused.

"It's a lollipop that's supposed to help with nausea. Pregnant women use them to help with mild morning sickness, which is why the boat driver had them. He said they were the only things that would help his wife settle her stomach right now, so he had a stash of them on his boat."

"Did it help you?"

"Not really, but it at least got the yucky taste out of my mouth. I'm going to try going to sleep early tonight and hopefully I'll be good as new in the morning."

"Are you okay now?" I asked, more than a little worried about her. I hated that she was so far away right now and there was nothing I could do to make her feel better.

"I'll live. My throat's pretty sore and I pulled a muscle in my back from retching. I'm glad you weren't there to see that."

"I'm sorry, baby. I wish I was there to take care of you," I said, closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose as I tried to stay calm. Letting myself get worked up wouldn't help either of us. "If they have a massage therapist nearby you should get an appointment. It'll help. Otherwise I can have Josh make some calls."

"It's okay," she said. "They do have one here and Julia and I are getting massages tomorrow morning. Shawn had a doctor come look at me and he gave me some IV fluids and something for my throat. I can't sing until our next show and I'm not supposed to talk much."

"Did he _make_ you go on the boat, Megan?"

"Not like that," she said, and I could hear the amusement in her voice. "I didn't have much of a choice; it really was the only way to get to where we were going. He felt really bad because of how horribly sick I was the whole time there and back."

"I hope he did; he better not make you do that again." A knock on my trailer door got my attention and I looked over to see Josh pointing at his watch, indicating I was supposed to be back on set. "I have to get back to set but we'll be done in a couple hours and I can call you then."

"I'm glad you called, Chris, but my throat _really_ hurts now, so just text me, okay?"

"Okay. I'll text you tonight, baby. Hope you feel better soon."

"Thanks, Chris. Bye."

"How's Megan?" Sebastian asked when I came back to the set.

"She's pretty miserable; they had to take a boat somewhere and it didn't go well for her."

"Ohhh – that sucks," he said, knowing what I meant. He knew she got seasick because she'd told him about skipping out on the gondola tour. "I'll give her a call when we get done today."

"She's not supposed to talk - doctor's orders - but you can text her."

"I'll do that. And you're going to drive me nuts all day because there's nothing you can do to help her feel better, right?"

I laughed. "That sounds like an excellent plan. I can do that." Seb flipped me off and I blew him a kiss.

"What'd she say to you about having Liam check in on her?"

"She took it better than I thought she would," I said, showing him what she'd sent me.

"That's my girl," he laughed as we took our places. "Only two more weeks, punk."

I sighed. This distance thing never got any easier an two weeks was still a long time to wait to see her again. No wonder Seb was always crabby when Sadie had to be gone for long periods of time. 

 

* * *

Megan's POV

"How's your throat?" Shawn asked the next morning when Julia and I walked in to rehearsals to run through the set list and blocking. I could still participate, I just couldn't sing. I scribbled on the notebook I'd found to use.

 _So- so_. I indicated with a hand gesture and a grimace. _I really feel like Ariel now._ I'd written in response to his question.

"Even when you can't talk you can still make me laugh," he chuckled as he pulled me in for a hug. "I'm so sorry, Meg. I didn't know you'd get that sick. I had someone pick up a throat coat tea that should help too."

He let go of me and I patted his arm, smiling slightly. Someone handed me a Styrofoam cup and a couple sheets of paper. I looked over them as he talked through what he wanted to do, nodding occasionally.

I sipped at the tea and it made my throat feel less raw, which was good, but I was still glad we had three days before the next show. At least I didn't have creepy red eyes this time from breaking a blood vessel in them from retching too hard - those took a while to go away and just looked wrong.

* *

"Ready for lunch?" Shawn said when we were done with the meeting. "I have reservations made for us at this Mediterranean Grill. I heard it's really good."

 _Julia?_ I wrote, not seeing the blonde anywhere. We'd become pretty good friends and I enjoyed her company.

Shawn shrugged. "Said she had something she needed to do when I asked. She'll come with later when we go out this afternoon."

I smiled and nodded, falling into step with him as we headed down to the car. We talked about the upcoming show while the driver took us there - well he talked, I wrote. I smiled when I saw the name of the restaurant - Skewers.

"Yeah, I know," Shawn said as we got out of the car. "But it's supposed to be really good. This is weird how much talking I'm doing today, Meg."

_Careful - you might run through your word allotment for the day. Men don't get as many as women._

He laughed and walked up to the front desk. They recognized him on sight and led us to our table. He put his arm around my shoulder as we followed her. "Really? I haven't heard that before. I should tell that one to my dad - maybe he can use that line on my sister. She never stops talking - ever."

I smiled, slipping out from under his arm and fanned myself with my hand, indicating it was too warm for him to have an arm around me.

"Sorry Meg; I suppose you're right. It _is_ pretty warm today."

We took our seats and the waitress came over to mildly fangirl over Shawn while she got our drink order. I gave him an amused look while I watched; it didn't bother me when this happened and he was always a little flustered by it - it was cute.

"Wait until you have your own fanboys," he teased me when she was out of earshot. "Then I'll laugh at you when that happens when we go out somewhere."

_You'll still be fighting off ur own fans - u won't have time to laugh at me!_

"I'll make time," he said when he read it, shaking his head. "I'm really feeling the need to rewatch _The Little Mermaid_ for some reason."

 _I wonder y._ I waggled my eyebrow at him theatrically. _We can after this if u want to. I have it on an app._

"Sounds good. We'll have some down time before we go sightseeing anyway. So do you know what you're going to have?"

* *

"I forgot how much I liked the old Disney movies," Shawn said as we relaxed in his suite. "I haven't see this one in years - not since my sister was in her mermaid phase."

 _3 or 4?_ I asked with my fingers.

"Hmm, I think she was at least five. It wasn't as bad as her Frozen phase."

 _I_ _like_ _Anna!_ I scribbled.

He tugged on the end of my braid. "I can see that. Ready to go do some sightseeing?"

I nodded, letting him pull me to my feet. He pulled a little too hard, though because I ended up crashing into him, my head hitting his chest hard before I rebounded off him. He caught me before I lost my balance as I dropped everything I had in my other hand. I shook my head to clear it - I was pretty dizzy all of a sudden.

"Sorry!" he said, stepping closer and keeping his arms around me to steady me as I swayed. "Are you okay?" I brought one hand up to my temple as spots danced before my eyes, my knees giving out and everything going dark.

* *

I opened my eyes briefly, but it was too bright, so I closed them again. "Hey Megan," a familiar voice said. "How are you feeling?"

I opened my eyes again to see several people around me. "What happened?" I groaned, my voice rough. "Where am I?" It took me a moment to place Shawn, Julia, and some of the band.

"You're in my suite." Shawn rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. "I pulled you to your feet and you passed out. I guess you're still a little dehydrated."

"Oh," I said in surprise. "I...passed out?"

"Yeah, for a couple minutes. I caught you and I laid you on my bed before I called Julia for help."

"Which why we're here," Julia said with a concerned smile. "He was freaking out big time. You scared the shit out of him, Meg."

"Thanks," I said, sitting up slowly, then sliding my legs off the bed. "Sorry for scaring you. I think I just stood up too fast."

"So this has happened before?"

"Not for a long time," I sighed, clearing my throat and coughing instead. "But the heat and being so sick yesterday didn't help."

"Are you going to go with us on the bus today?" Shawn asked, holding out a hand to me as I slowly stood up. I felt fine, just a little tired.

I shook my head. "I better take it easy today and stay out of the sun. Sorry guys. Take loads of pictures for me, okay?"

"I'll walk you to your room, Megan," Julia said, picking up my phone, pen and paper and linking her arm with mine and steering me to the door. "I'll meet you guys downstairs."

"Take it easy, turbo," the blonde teased as we slowly made our way down the hall to my room.

"Sadly, this is my normal kind of luck," I groaned. "Sorry for scaring everyone."

"So you're sure this is just a holdover from puking your guts out?"

"What else would it be?"

"My bestie had fainting spells for the first couple months when she was expecting her twins."

I tapped my keycard on the door to open it and let us in. I held my hands up in a time out sign. "Woah - nope! Hold your horses there, Juju! As much as Chris would _love_ for that to be the reason, it's not. Trust me."

She gave me a skeptical look. "You're sure?"

"Positive." I set my stuff down on the dresser. "Thanks for not speculating in front of everyone at least," I sighed. "Text me when you guys get back and I'll meet you for dinner."

"Sounds good. See you then - and rest your voice!"

I nodded, and went to look at myself in the mirror. I was even paler than usual, I decided before rinsing my face with cool water and grabbing a Gatorade from the little fridge in my room. I struggled to get it open, my arms shaking from the exertion by the time I managed it. I sat down on my bed and took a long drink before kicking off my shoes and getting ready to take a nap. I had just finished setting an alarm on my phone when it started ringing for a FaceTime call.

"Hey Chris. I figured you'd call soon. I'm okay, really."

 


	22. Dodging Questions

Chris' POV

"Hey - where are you, baby?" I asked, anxiously scanning the terminal for my girlfriend; you'd think with such bright red hair it would be easier to find her, but she was so short I sometimes struggled to find her in crowds.

"On your left," Megan said before laughing. "I see you but I'm still waiting for my other bag. I thought I was going to meet up with everyone at the set?"

"I got done early today," I said with a grin, finally spotting her as the crowd thinned just as she pulled a suitcase off the conveyor belt. "So I thought I'd pick you up from the airport."

She snorted. "That's not what I heard! Baz said you were so annoyingly hyper by 2 pm that the Russos told you not to come back until you could focus. I shouldn't have told you I was getting in today."

"That's not technically untrue," I murmured in Megan's ear as I came up from behind and put my arms around her small frame, hugging her tight and breathing in her unique scent. It had been too long since I'd seen her. "But I'm glad I got to see you sooner. Missed you."

She turned and put her arms around my waist. "I noticed," she said with a grin. "I missed you too, believe it or not. Did you get the package I sent you?"

"Yup; and I loved it." I kissed her forehead, knowing that if I kissed her lips I wouldn't be able to stop and that would draw too much attention.

"Let me grab my other bag; I see it coming around now. And do you think we can get something to eat? I'm starving."

"Sure," I said, letting go of her and putting up the handle on her larger suitcase. "I'm so glad I get to see you before you go back to Colorado for the holiday."

Megan laughed. "Sadie said it was worth her sanity for me to come back through Atlanta. Driving her nuts, were you?"

"She wasn't even here the whole time!" I protested. I didn't think I'd been _that_ bad but maybe I had. Megan grabbed her bag as it came around and put up the handle.

"That's what I said!" she laughed. "Her response was suitably pithy and I'm not repeating it in public. I didn't know she even _knew_ those words." I rolled my eyes and took her hand in mine as I steered her towards where I'd parked. "Chris, isn't that Jensen Ackles over there?" she asked, tipping her head to the terminal we were just passing.

"It sure looks like him," I said, having seen enough _Supernatural_ with Sadie to be confident of my answer. "Why?"

"I'll be right back," she said, changing direction smoothly as she let go of my hand.

I sighed to myself and followed Megan, curious as to what she was up to. I hadn't known Sadie had converted her into a fan, too. She walked right up to the actor and introduced herself, holding out her hand. He looked a little surprised but didn't seem to be bothered by the attention, smiling as he shook her hand.

"Wow, you never know who you're going to run into at the airport," he was saying as I came up. "It's nice to meet you, Chris. I'm a big fan of your work."

"Likewise, Jensen," I said, shaking his hand. "Sadie makes sure we stay up to date on your show. So what are you doing here in Atlanta?"

He sighed. "Looks like I'm going to have a layover. My flight got rerouted here because of the storm and the next flight to Austin that wasn't canceled isn't for about-" he glanced at his watch - "five hours."

Megan looked up at me entreatingly. "We were just talking about going to get a bite to eat, Jensen. Why don't you join us so you don't have to sit here the whole time? There's a decent steak place not far from here that Sadie said is great."

The older man looked at me and I nodded in agreement, having been in the same situation many times. "You know, I think I will," he decided, his smile widening. "Just give me a couple minutes to make sure everything's squared away?"

"Of course," I said. I waited until he was at the desk before looking at Megan. "He's married."

She rolled her eyes at me. "And I'm not interested in _him_ , you dork. But if Sadie found out I didn't even try to get a picture of him for her she'd be so pissed!"

"Yeah, she would," I murmured, seeing where she was going with this.

"Plus this isn't a good place for either of you to try and keep a low profile. There's a group of college girls behind you that are eyeing you guys already."

I nodded, agreeing with her assessment and not daring to turn and make eye contact. "You're right, baby. You owe me."

"Already taken care of. Your mom invited me to her house for Christmas," she said with a shy smile. "I was going to wait to surprise you-" I pulled her tight and kissed her, not caring who saw us, I was that happy right now.

"Baby, that's great! I can't believe you both kept that from me!"

"It's your early Christmas present, so don't say I didn't get you anything," she teased.

"All I need for Christmas is you," I said fervently before kissing her again. "I thought I was going to get an argument when I asked you later tonight to come with me."

She sighed. "You would have if you really would've waited that long to ask that, Chris. We've talked about this, remember?"

I looked over to see Jensen walking back over to us. "I'm ready if you are," he said, glancing between the two of us with obvious amusement and I realized I was still holding on to her.

"Great. I'm parked over this way," I gestured.

"So I hear you're working on another big Marvel film here in town," Jensen said as we walked. "Any chance I can meet the rest of the cast, too?"

"Sure," Megan said, looking up from her phone. "Baz said they're just wrapping now and they'll meet us at the restaurant. I just made reservations through their app for all of us and they have a private room available."

"Damn girl - you work fast," Jensen said with a low whistle. "Can I hire you to teach my assistant those kind of skills?"

"Sadie won't like you anymore if you steal her assistant," I said with a laugh, sharing a glance with Megan, who only smiled. 

"Speaking of Sadie, is she going to be there? My wife'll kill me if I didn't get a picture with Sadie Wilson for her. She loves absolutely loves Evelyn in your Avenger movies - even more than you and Sebastian - and that's saying something."

"She's in Australia right now for an early Christmas with the Hemsworths," Megan said, tapping at her phone. "But we can FaceTime her - I just texted her a half hour ago to say I was going to be landing soon, so she'll be expecting me to call."

"I can't wait to hear her reaction when you tell her," I grinned widely; I could certainly imagine it. "Seb's going to be pissed you introduced them."

"No he's not," she scoffed. "He just says that to sound tough and you know it."

*        *

"You've got a pretty great girl there, Chris," Jensen said to me as we drank our beer. "I know you really weren't planning on doing this tonight, so I really appreciate you guys changing your plans to include me."

"I know I do, and I don't mind, really." At least, I didn't mind now that I knew I was going to get a lot more time with her. "This way we'll get more uninterrupted time since they all get to see her now. She's been gone for the last couple weeks touring with Shawn Mendes."

We watched the others trickle in and greet Megan, picking her up and hugging her like they hadn't seen her in months instead of weeks. All of them were talking a mile a minute and hadn't even realized Jensen was there yet, to our amusement.

"So she's really not just a PA, then."

"Not anymore," I agreed. "Shawn was doing a music video on another set right across from where we were filming some CGI stuff in California and there was a little miscommunication with the actress they were supposed to be using. Allison Lucky just happens to look a lot like Megan; they thought Megan was her and the rest is history." I pulled up the music video on YouTube and handed him my phone. "You've probably heard this on the radio at least a dozen times and never would have known it was Megan unless you've seen the video."

Megan smiled at me, seeing that we were fine without her. "Man, I love this song! Gen, Jared's wife, got it stuck in my head; that's really Megan singing?"

"Some of the acting isn't her but the voice is all hers."

"Damn. She's good - really good. Like I would listen to her singing a Capella good."

"Yeah, she is," I said, smiling as Sebastian tossed her over his shoulder and pretended to run off with her.

"Looks like your Avengers family is just as close as my _Supernatural_ one," Jensen said with wry grin as we watched the antics. "Do you ever wonder what you'd be doing now if you didn't take the role?"

I knew what he was talking about. He'd been offered the part of Steve Rogers before me and had even been offered Hawkeye. I took a drink while I considered what to say. "I don't know, but I wouldn't be here today. You?"

"I know where I belong and I'm where I'm supposed to be -plus I wouldn't have met Danne otherwise. I can't even picture anyone else as Steve because you do such a good job of selling it, man."

"Thanks. That means a lot to me. I never expected to find this family," I gestured at Anthony, Sebastian, Tom, and Robert goofing around at the other end of the table. "But the guys and I have become really close since then, which brings it to another level."

"It really does because you don't want to let your family down. You and Sebastian are like me and Jared."

"Yeah, we are," I agreed. I never doubted that Seb had my back - I couldn't imagine anyone else playing Bucky because _he_ was Bucky.

"So tell me a little more about Sadie, Chris. It looks like you guys are really close, too. I was in Vancouver when I heard she saved your lives; it was all over the news there."

I nodded. "I don't know how to say it without cliché. You're a Christian, right?" He met my eyes and nodded, watching me closely. "I thank God _every day_ that He brought Sadie into my life just when I needed her the most. She's saved me in so many ways."

"I hear you," he said, lifting his beer to me. "Believe me, I hear you. I feel the same about Danne and it still scares the hell out of me at times."

I nodded, acknowledging his statement. "It hasn't even been a year now, but I honestly can't remember what life was like before her. We have our ups and downs, but I wouldn't change a thing; if it weren't for Sadie, I'd never have met Megan, either."

"Think fast," Sebastian said as he chose that moment to literally drop Megan into my lap and come meet Jensen. She put her arms around my neck and I gave her a quick kiss before letting her get up to sit in her own seat.

"Hey baby - are you staying out of trouble or are you causing it?"

"Causing it, punk," Sebastian said, messing up my hair. "Haven't you learned that by now? Jensen fucking Ackles, it's good to finally meet you - especially since Sadie isn't here." Sebastian winked and gave him that Bucky smirk he'd perfected years ago as he sat down, making the older man laugh.

"Sebastian fucking Stan," Jensen said, not to be outdone as they shook hands. "It's good to finally meet you, too - especially since my wife isn't here. She's a big fan of your work and is a pretty hardcore Bucklyn shipper."

"I like her already," Sebastian said with a chuckle. "You already tell him Sadie loves Dean Winchester even more than me?" he asked me, grabbing a beer from the bucket on the table.

"Hell no - I'm staying out of that argument, jerk," I said as Megan laughed.

* *

"Thanks for supper and some excellent company," Jensen said when we reached the airport to drop him off. The Texan shook my hand again and grinned. "I never thought I'd enjoy a layover that much."

"There's a first time for everything," I agreed. "Give me a call the next time you're in Atlanta and we'll meet up."

Megan slid out of the backseat, intending to get in up front after Jensen left. He was as tall as me so she'd made him sit in the front instead, which he'd appreciated since my car didn't have a ton of legroom in the backseat.

"Thank you so much, darlin'," Jensen drawled when he got out, pulling Megan into a hug. "I'm really glad you noticed me this afternoon. I'll make sure to tell Danne when we get the logistics figured out." He let go of her and let her get in, shutting the door after her.

"You're welcome, Jensen. Merry Christmas!" Megan said through the open window.

"Merry Christmas!" he said with a huge smile. "Good night, y'all."

"You did good, baby," I said as I pulled away from the curb. "That was actually a lot of fun."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Sadie was over the moon, wasn't she?" she asked, buckling her seatbelt and taking my hand.

"She sure was. Did you know they considered him for Steve before I was offered the role?"

"No, but I can't really see him as Cap because he's been Dean for so long. I didn't realize you guys were about the same height until today. I always thought he was smaller than he really is."

"So back to talking about Christmas," I said, changing the subject. "Were you really going to wait until Friday to tell me?"

"Yup. I talked to my parents and already sent all my siblings something from Australia and Tokyo for Christmas. I also promised them that they could come to one of my shows next year. Shawn wants me to consider doing part of his next tour and he and Julia have a couple more songs lined up for me to work on."

"Baby, that's huge!" I said when I finally processed what she was telling me. I kissed her hand, glancing over to see her watching me with a worried expression. I was happy the label and her fellow singers thought highly enough of her talent to give her this opportunity, but I knew how much of a time commitment this could be. She could be gone for months at a time if she did the whole tour with him.

"I know! So I figured I better spend time with you while I can because I might be kind of busy in the upcoming year."

"We'll make it work somehow," I promised, squeezing her hand. "I'm so proud of you, baby."

"Chris, this isn't the way to Baz's, is it?" she asked suspiciously, having seen the road signs flash by that told her we were going the opposite direction of Sebastian's rental house. My place was smaller but closer to the studio.

"Nope. I told him you were staying with me for a couple days."

*         *

The snow started getting heavier as we made our way to my house in Boston. It was just two days before Christmas and today was the only day I was going to have Megan to myself all day long. Megan had insisted on getting some groceries before we got to my place, including some easily reheatable things from my favorite deli.

"I don't want to have to leave the house in this if we don't have to," she explained with a smile.

"I like how you think," I grinned, glancing over at her. "I told Ma we're in town and that we'd be over tomorrow at noon."

"So she won't call wondering where we are?"

"Exactly. Did you get a good nap in on the plane? You still look tired, baby."

"I did get a good nap - and _someone_ kept me up most of the night so _of course_ I'm still tired, Evans."

"I can't help it we have to make up for lost time - and I didn't hear you complaining last night."

"At least you make a nice warm pillow," she sighed, leaning her head on my arm. "I'm just always so cold in the winter."

"You and Sadie both," I agreed. "I think your feet are even colder than hers, though."

Megan snorted. "Poor Baz has to put up with that now. You're _my_ foot warmer."

I smiled to myself. "Poor Baz my ass! I feel no sympathy for him - you know he wouldn't have it any other way." Seb loved Sadie to distraction and things had never been better between them, which was great - they both deserved a win for a change.

"When do you think he'll propose?"

"As soon as he thinks she'll say yes," I said bluntly.

"I saw the ring already, so you don't need to pretend you don't know he bought it."

"When did you see it?" I asked in amazement. "He hasn't even had it for that long!"

She gave me a look. "When I helped him pick it out _and_ get the right size after talking to her sisters."

"Very sneaky of you," I laughed, relieved that she hadn't gotten him to spill the beans - he wasn't the only one that had bought jewelry recently. "I love it! So what did you get me for Christmas?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out. I already mailed your gift to your mom's house so you couldn't sneak a peek."

"You didn't!"

"I did!" she said, sticking her tongue out at me. "She told me to."

"Of course she did!" I said, running a hand through my hair. "Peek once - _once_ \- when you're 10 and you neveh live it down!"

"I love how being home again really brings out your accent," Megan laughed. " _Nevah_?"

"Wait 'til you hear me talkin' to my uncles if you think I'm bad now," I replied with a smirk, pulling into my garage and turning off the engine.

"Am I going to need a translator?"

"Maybe," I laughed. My accent wasn't usually that thick now that I'd worked with voice coaches, but it was always there a little bit.

"So what did you get me for Christmas?"

"I'm not tellin', but I wouldn't say no to a little persuasion, baby," I waggled my eyebrows at her and she laughed.

"You'd make a horrible villain," she said with a grin, leaning over and giving me a kiss.

"And why'd that?" I murmured against her lips.

"You're too handsome," she said, kissing down my neck. "And too nice, and this here just needs too much attention." She ran her hand over my already hardening cock, making me groan as she playfully nipped at my collarbone.

"Wanna break in the backseat?" I rasped, claiming her lips again. I could never get enough of her.

"Maybe when it's not so cold out," she said, pulling back to meet my eyes with a grin.

"I'll keep you plenty warm, baby. I promise," I murmured, kissing her neck.

She pushed me back lightly, opening her door and getting out. "Unfortunately your backseat is full of stuff that has to go into the house, Chris. Not happening - besides, I'm starving and I can hear your stomach growling from over here."

I sighed, knowing she was right. I pulled my keys out of the ignition and popped the trunk to get our suitcases out while Megan gathered the grocery bags.

* *

"And this is for you," I said, handing Megan a small box and sitting down beside her on the couch. The kids had all finished opening their own presents and were happily playing on the floor while the rest of us exchanged gifts.

"Thanks - and that is for you, Chris," she said as Scott chucked me a beautifully wrapped package. I could tell my mom had wrapped it - it was perfect.

"Can I open it now?" I asked, hearing her laugh. "Can I can I, huh, pwease?"

"Knock yourself out," she giggled, picking up the toddler at her knees holding his hands out to her. "Hi pumpkin. You want to help me open this?" She put her hair behind her shoulders and settled my best friend Tara's son in her lap, letting him rip at the shiny paper of her present while she watched me opening mine.

"This is great!" I exclaimed, leaning over to kiss her. "Thanks!"

"What is it?" Scott asked, leaning over to taking a look. "Is it what I think it is?"

"Depends on what you think it is, but it's a weekend getaway at a ski lodge in Montana," I said, smiling at Megan. "How'd you know I liked to ski?"

"Scott and Sadie," she explained, blushing prettily. "The name of the place is Big Sky - it's huge - and it's one of the US Olympic teams training camps so it has all kinds of runs. My family goes every winter so I thought you'd like it - Mr Adventure."

"Love it. I've actually heard about it from Sadie before; she said it's right up my alley."

"Can I come too?" Scott asked, putting an arm around her. "It was partly my idea, Meg!"

"No way! Get your own significant other, Scott. Stop trying to steal my girl."

"Good job, pumpkin! You got all the paper off for me," Megan ignored us, praising the toddler for helping her. She pried the lid off the box and opened it, fishing out the paper inside and trying to keep it from him long enough to read it. "What is it, Chris?"

I took the paper from her and smiled, rubbing my beard on the toddler's pudgy hand and making him giggle. "Since your little helper here isn't much help, I'll read it to you, okay?"

"Okay," she said, putting the box on the toddler's head to distract him. "I'm listening."

"I can take him, Megan," Tara said, coming back into the living room. "Sorry!"

"He's fine, Tara," Megan said with a smile. "Aren't you, buddy?" He cackled as she played peek-a-boo with him using the box. "What did you get me, Chris?"

"Well, it's not as cool as skiing," I grinned. "And there are no boats involved."

"Thank God," she muttered with a little shudder, making me laugh. "You promise?"

"I promise. I got us a week long stay at Disneyland, on site, all the bells and whistles."

"Wow. I don't know what to say, Chris. Thank you!" she tugged at my shirt to get me to lean over so she could kiss my cheek without dislodging the toddler in her lap.

"You said you'd never been to either one, so I thought this would be the way to do it - and did I mention your family's coming as well?"

"Really?" she said, her eyes getting shiny. "You don't know how much that means to me, Chris."

I kissed her gently. "I'm glad you like it."

"I don't even want to think about how you're going to top that next year," she teased me, wiping away a tear. "I'm just glad you opened mine first."

"It's better if you don't think about it," Shanna said, taking the toddler and setting him down to play with the other kids.

"I'm pretty sure he's already got something in mind," Carly put in, smiling at me. By now, my sisters were used to me doing things like this, but Megan wasn't - and I hadn't thought this would be her reaction. Happy, yes - tears, no - so I was a little concerned.

"I really hope those are happy tears," I said quietly, wiping away another one and pulling her in for a hug, my mom looking a little anxious.

"Yeah, they are," she whispered, hiding her face in my neck. "I just wasn't expecting anything that big - that had to have cost you a fortune, Chris."

"Don't worry about it, baby," I said, kissing her forehead, a little embarrassed that I'd made her cry. "Believe me, I can afford it. Plus, I kinda _technically_ work for Disney, ya know?" It took her a little bit to recover her composure; I hadn't intended to overwhelm her like that. "It's one of my favorite places, so I just thought it would be something we could all do together."

* *

"So whadaya think of Megan?" I asked Tara as I helped her get her kids and all their stuff out to her SUV. She didn't live far away and her husband was just getting done with work, so they were heading home to meet him.

"She's very sweet, Chris. The kids loved her and you know how they both are around strangers right now."

" _All_ kids love her," I said with a smile. "It seemed like you two hit it off." The two women had chattered easily within minutes of meeting and had already exchanged numbers.

"Yeah, we did. She's not trying to be someone she's not, which isn't the kind of girl you usually go for. You're pretty serious about her already, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am," I admitted, my grin widening as I adjusted my grip on the squirming toddler I held.

"Good for you," she said, finishing buckling the baby in. "Scottie told me a bit about her when I told him I'd be here for Christmas Eve, so I'm up to speed on her backstory. You're like the complete opposite of the last guy she dated."

"He was a...tool," I agreed, knowing Tara didn't want me cursing around her kids because the older one would repeat it at the worst time possible. I set the boy in his car seat and let her strap him in. "What else did Scottie tell you?"

"Enough." She shot me a look over her shoulder. "He and Sadie talked you out of giving her a ring already."

"Bye buddy. See you later," I said, high fiving the toddler before shutting the door. "I wanted to propose, but Sadie was right - she's not ready for that yet. I've told her I loved her."

"Did she say it back?" she asked shrewdly, studying my face.

"Well, the first time she was already asleep, so no," I admitted, laughing at myself. "The other time was during an argument and she told me not to say it but I did anyways."

Tara laughed and punched my arm. "Glad to see you haven't changed, Evans. She seems like a good girl for you - much better than the last couple that I've heard about. I should get going before the roads get worse."

"Text me when you get home."

"I will," she promised, giving me a hug. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Tara. I'm really glad you came today. I hardly ever get to see you these days."

"I know," she said, kissing my cheek before letting go of me to get in her SUV. "Bye." She pulled her door shut and I stepped back to let her pull out of the driveway, waving as she cautiously drove away through the accumulating snow.  
  


 

* * *

Megan's POV

"Are you going to marry Chris?" Stella asked me as we picked up the last of the wrapping paper that littered the living room floor while her mom and aunt set out the leftovers for dinner.

"He hasn't asked me," I hedged, looking over to see her watching me with sharp eyes.

"But if he _did_ ask you, you'd say yes, right?"

I found some more scraps and put them in the bag. "I haven't known him long enough yet to be able to really answer that question, honey."

"Well, either you like him or you don't," she reasoned. "Which is it?"

"I like him," I said with a grin. "Is there anyone who _doesn't_ like Chris?"

"No, not that I know of," she said after a moment's thought, taking me seriously. "Do you love him?"

"Stella?" Scott said, saving me from having to answer. "Have you seen Miles' rabbit?"

"It's on the chair," she said, pointing at the recliner. "Right where he left it!"

"Great. It's almost time to eat, so go wash up," he ordered as he grabbed it, taking it into the dining room with him. "Your mom has your plate ready for you."

"I'll finish up, Stella," I said, taking the other garbage bag from her. "Thanks for your help."

"You didn't answer my question, Megan," Stella said, glaring at me and crossing her arms. "Do you love Chris?"

"You know that real life isn't like the fairy tales, right?" I asked as I sat down on the couch, setting the garbage bags on the floor. "There's no prince on a white horse waiting to carry you away to live happily ever after."

She nodded, her face clearing a little. "Don't you think Chris would make a great Prince?"

I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. "I'm not having this conversation with you, kid."

"Don't you think you were meant to meet Chris?" she asked, not deterred in the least.

I sighed. She was like a dog with a bone. "I think that people are meant to cross our path for a reason - I'm just not sure what that reason is yet."

"I suppose since it took Prince Harry three years to propose, I can't expect Chris to move any faster, can I?"

"Are you trying to marry me off?" Chris said, walking into the living room with a big grin on his face. I flushed, wondering just how much he'd heard. I hadn't heard the front door shut when he came back in, but sometimes he was sneaky like that. "How many goats did you get for me?"

"No goats," she giggled. "Megan says she likes you but she won't say if she loves you or not," the girl replied, instantly ratting me out. I hadn't expected anything less, to be honest - it was pretty obvious all the kids adored their Uncle Chris.

"Nosy Nelly Stelly," he teased, picking the girl up and tossing her in the air as she shrieked in delight. He caught her and gave her a hug before saying something quietly to her and setting her down. She instantly scurried away, much to my amusement.

"Did you bribe her or threaten her?" I asked, letting him pull me to my feet.

"Bribe," he said with a grin. "She's very direct, isn't she."

"Yeah, I kind of got that. Couldn't imagine whose family she gets that from," I teased, putting my arms around his waist and letting him hold me for a bit before I asked what I'd been wondering since he'd walked into the room. "So how much of the conversation did you hear?"

"Most of it. You're very good at dodging questions, Megan Jones." He rubbed my back lightly, working the tension out of me with his warm hands.

"Don't stop," I sighed, mostly relaxed again. I felt a sharp pain in my side and I took a deep breath, forcing myself not to tense because that would only make it worse. "I'm going to go wash up; I've got glitter all over me and it's time to eat."

"Are you all right, baby? You look a little pale." Chris brought one hand up to cup my face gently, a slight frown making those little vertical worry lines between his brows show up.

"I'm fine," I assured him, kissing his palm. It was close enough to the truth right now that I didn't feel guilty for lying to him, but telling him I felt like crap wasn't going to help either of us. "I'll be down in a minute, okay?"

 

*         *           *

Chris' POV

I watched as Megan walked slowly up the stairs; I was a little worried because she wasn't acting quite like her normal self right now. I decided to wait for her, so when she didn't come down in a couple minutes, I headed up to check on her. I just had this gut feeling that something just wasn't right and I knew better than to ignore it.

"No, Mom, it's not that bad; I'll be okay for a couple more days," I heard Megan say just as I was ready to knock on the bathroom door. Her voice was so low I had to strain to hear her and it sounded like she was crying. "I'll just have to be careful. I mean it _feels_ the same as last time, so I at least know what to expect."

Because I was listening so closely I jumped when the water started running to wash her hands. I knew I probably shouldn't be eavesdropping, but I just didn't know what to think right now. Megan _knew_ there was something wrong with her and she didn't want to tell me. The tiredness, mood swings and lack of appetite; all of it was suddenly adding up. But why would she give me a ski vacation if she wouldn't be able to ski? That didn't seem like something she'd do.

"No, just today. It didn't hurt until a little bit ago, so as long as I don't let it get out of hand, I'll be okay. It's been over five years, Mom - and everything else has been going so well I just hoped that it was the kind that go away on their own."

She sounded really upset and I ran my hands through my hair as things stopped making sense. What she was saying didn't add up with what I was seeing. My anxiety was trying to overtake me because I was suddenly terrified there was something really wrong with her and I was going to lose her.

"Love you, too. I'll call you later, okay? Don't tell Daddy yet; not until I've seen Dr Kay in a couple days - I don't want him to worry just because I feel crappy. _Yes_ , I will talk to Chris when I know more. Bye Mom," she said as she opened the door suddenly and saw me standing there, listening.

Her eyes widened and the next thing I knew she was falling. I caught her before she could hit the floor and carried her limp body to my old room, laying her on the bed. This wasn't normal for her at all - and it wasn't a fake faint just to avoid talking to me - she was out cold.

Actively panicking now, I quickly found Megan's phone on the hallway floor and called her mom back. As I waited for her to answer, I went back to sit on the bed next to Megan, taking her limp hand in mine.

"Mrs Jones? It's Chris. Sorry to bother you but Megan just fainted and I don't know what to do!"

 _All right, Chris. Calm down and take a deep breath._ I did as she asked and she continued speaking. _If you just lay her down flat, she'll wake up in a couple minutes,_ Mrs Jones said evenly. _She usually doesn't stay out for very long_. _Did she hit her head when she went down?_

"No, I caught her before she fell. What's going on?"

Her mom sighed. _Megan said she was going to talk to you, Chris._

"She's not... she's not _dying_ , is she?" I managed to choke out, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.

 _Goodness, no!_ I exhaled loudly in relief - I'd needed to hear that so badly it wasn't even funny. _Chris, this is something she needs to talk to you about herself, okay? Tell Megan I'll call her later - we're just heading into church now._

"Okay," I agreed, tightening my grip on her hand. I watched her closely and after a minute or two her eyelashes fluttered and she started to wake up.

"Megan, baby. Are you okay?"

Her eyes opened and she looked at me blankly. "Where am I?"

"We're at my mom's house in Sudbury; you fainted."

"Oh," she said quietly, closing her eyes again, a faint frown on her forehead. I squeezed her hand gently and she slowly opened her eyes again, looking a little more lucid.

"Baby, what's wrong with you?"

"It's hard to explain because I'm not 100% sure," she said with a sigh, bringing one hand up to her temple and rubbing it firmly.

"I need to know, Megan," I said firmly. "One moment you were walking and talking and the next you were out cold. You scared me, baby."

She brought our joined hands to her face and kissed my knuckles. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Chris. You know how I said I can't have kids?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, my body hates me and grows cysts that eventually cause problems - not cancerous," she quickly assured me, seeing the panicked look on my face. "Just...painful. This one is fucking with my blood pressure; if I stand up too quick, I pass out, if I get surprised, I pass out - you get the idea." She gave me a wan smile that was in no way reassuring.

"When were you going to tell me? _Were_ you going to tell me?"

"Yes, I was going to tell you. _After_ we get back to Atlanta and I talked to the doctor there and found out for sure what's going on this time."

"How long have you suspected there was something wrong?" I asked, holding her forest green eyes with mine. I kissed her fingers, brushing her sensitive skin with my beard.

"A while. I'm generally asymptomatic, so it wasn't something I had to take care of immediately."

"How long, Megan?" I asked, not intending to let her dance around my questions this time.

"Just since I fainted in Australia."

"That was like three weeks ago," I said, appalled. " _Three fucking weeks_ you've known something's wrong and you weren't going to do anything about it?!"

"It's not like I could just drop everything and come back to the States. I had a commitment to - "

She suddenly let go of my hand and rolled on her side, whimpering as she curled up, what little color she had draining instantly. She took a couple shallow breaths and let them out slowly, her eyes closed tight.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked, rubbing her back gently. "Are you okay?"

"Just...need...a minute," she gasped, trying to breathe evenly. Her face screwed up in pain and she passed out again when it became too much. It was scary as hell, seeing that. I stroked her face lightly, waiting for her to wake up again.

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty," I said, leaning over and giving her a soft kiss. It was a moment before her lips moved with mine and she sighed when I pulled away.

"Fuck you, Prince Charming," she said weakly, her eyes meeting mine as she smiled. She poked me in the chest firmly with one finger. "What if I don't _want_ to rise and shine? You gonna make me?"

I chuckled, relieved that her sense of humor was still intact. "Are you still in pain?"

She sighed. "It's tolerable now. Today's the first day it's hurt like this."

"Why didn't you see a doctor in Australia?"

"I didn't want some _foreign_ doctor; I wanted to see _my_ doctor - the one who already knows my whole goddamn medical history." I could understand that. Having to see a doctor in a foreign country when it wasn't just a matter of getting some antibiotics was a mixed bag. "Unfortunately, there wasn't any way I could make it work, so she recommended the doctor I'm seeing on Wednesday and is emailing her my medical history."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I asked. "You scared the shit out of me."

She sighed and let go of my hand, shifting slowly, intending to sit up. She put her arms around my neck, resting her forehead on mine. "Because I didn't want to ruin Christmas and I know how you are, Chris. Now you're going to be freaking out about _everything_ for the next couple days."

She knew me pretty well - I would be. "Can I come with you to your appointment?" I asked, stroking her face gently. "Please?"

"Yeah, I think you better," she sighed, leaning her head on my shoulder and kissing my neck. "I know you'll have questions I can't answer. I'm sorry I scared you; I didn't mean to."

I wrapped my arms around her, burying my face in her hair and just holding her for a long moment before shifting to kiss across her jaw and claim her soft lips. "I know you didn't, baby." I kissed her nose and watched her scrunch it adorably, rubbing at it with one hand. "I may have asked your mom if you were dying," I admitted.

"Christopher Robert Evans - you know how much shit I'm going to be in now?" she groaned, letting go of me abruptly.

"No, but I didn't know what else to ask other that if you were pregnant," I said in my defense. "Not sure that conversation would have went any better."

Megan buried her face in her hands. "Next time ask _that_! What the hell would your mom do if I asked her if _you_ were dying?"

"Probably flip out," my mom said from the doorway. "And burst into tears. It's bad enough watching him do those scenes in his movies even when he warns me ahead of time. Are you all right?" my mom asked, looking concerned.

"I'm feeling better now," Megan said, but she was still really pale and looked exhausted. "We should go down now, Chris."

"How 'bout I carry you," I suggested, taking her easily into my arms and standing up. "At least down the stairs? Go ahead, Ma. We'll be right behind you."

"I can walk, you know," she protested weakly.

"I know you can, but you've already passed out twice today, baby. Let's not go for a third." She rested her head on my chest and gave up arguing with me, but I could see how much that second faint had taken it out of her. "We'll leave right after we get done eating, okay?"


	23. Merry Christmas

Megan's POV

"You want me to do _what!?"_ I asked, staring at him like he'd lost his mind. He handed me an unmistakably distinct pink box and I chucked it right back at him like it was going to burn me. "Nope. Already took one in Australia. Julia made me because she wouldn't take no for answer."

"So taking another one won't hurt you," he argued, tossing it back.

I threw it back at him. "If I have to pee on a freaking stick, you do too."

"Did you make Julia do that when you took the first one?"

"Yup. Joke was on her - she was preggo and hadn't even suspected it." I opened the fridge to get a drink, missing part of what he said next. I looked over at him, confused. "Did you just say you're sending a picture of your _dick_ to your mom? I mean it's a nice dick but I don't think she wants to see that, Chris."

"That's not what I said," bursting out laughing hard and grabbing at his pec. I watched him in amusement - it wasn't _that_ funny. _"I said_ I'll pee on a stick if you will." I rolled my eyes at him, twisting the top off a coke and taking a drink; I hadn't been joking when I'd said that. When he finally got control of himself again, he opened the box and pulled out both pregnancy tests. "I've peed on worse things."

"I think I'd really rather not know the details," I said, leaning on the counter and studying him. "You _really_ want me to do this?"

"Please?" he said, meeting my eyes. "I need to know; I know you said it's not possible, but you can't even deny that you've been really tired lately, you don't feel great at random times of the day, you pee a lot, and you don't eat much. Add in this fainting thing and I can't help but wonder if you might be pregnant. It's not like we've been very careful, Megan."

He was right - we hadn't been very careful because I liked how much better sex felt without condoms. He was my first and he'd assured me he was clean, so I hadn't bothered to think about it any further than that. I sighed, giving in to him on taking the test. After another holiday spent around his family and babies, there was no doubt in my mind he would be fucking ecstatic if I _were_ to somehow have managed to get knocked up by him.

"I suppose _normally_ that would be the case, but I can promise you I'm not. I just don't want you to get upset-"

"I won't get upset," he said quickly, handing me a plastic wrapped stick. "I promise. I just want to be _sure_."

I turned it over in  my hand for a minute. "When the hell did you even buy these, Evans? Should I be concerned?"

He raised his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "I didn't buy them; Shanna and Carly gave them to me when we were at Ma's. They said I had to give the baby back and that I should go try making my own instead."

I stared at him in disbelief. "I don't even know what to say to that. I'm just going to go pee on my stick now before I say something I shouldn't."

I wasn't surprised his sisters were encouraging him like that. They'd both made it clear that I'd been approved and was very welcome to join the family. When I came out of the bathroom Chris was already standing there, holding his phone and snickering.

"I sent a picture of mine to Ma saying I wasn't pregnant."

"You know, if yours had turned out positive, I think I read somewhere it means you have ball cancer or something like that," I informed him. "I don't remember exactly, but you can Google it."

"Fuck - really? Then it's a good thing it was negative," he said, taken aback. "Where's yours?"

"Mine's in the bathroom," I said, pointing. "It's weird enough peeing on it in the first place and I'm not carrying a _used_ pee stick around your house; that's just gross! And I hope you washed your hands, dork."

"I promise to wash my hands," he said, rolling his eyes and walking into the bathroom.

I hesitated - part of me wanted to see his reaction, but I didn't want to see his disappointment, so I went into the bedroom to lay down, needing a little bit of time to process everything that had happened today.

*  *

When Chris came in, I could hear the disappointment in his slow footsteps. Chris wasn't a quiet person around me - he was always talking about something - so I knew that even though he'd promised not to be upset, he still was. He laid down beside me, putting an arm around my torso and curling his larger frame around mine as he buried his face in my hair.

"I'm sorry. I guess I just wanted to believe it was possible."

"I don't know what to think right now. You don't know how _happy_ I am that I'm not pregnant, Chris!"

"Why?" he asked after a long silence, his voice rough.

"Because I'm not _ready_ for that; hell, some days I'm not convinced I actually know how to adult." He chuckled quietly and I turned to face him, reaching up to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "Don't take this as criticism, Chris, but just because _you_ are ready to settle down and have kids doesn't mean _I_ am - especially since we've only been dating for a little over a month."

"It's closer to two, actually."

I sighed. "Whatever - it's still not long enough to even start _thinking_ about having a baby - and when I do reach that point I'd want it to be with someone who'll  be there for both of us."

"I will be," he promised, looking sincere.

I shook my head. "You don't know that. When are you going to have _time_ to be a dad, Chris? I know what your upcoming year looks like - and it's ugly. You'll be gone filming for months on end and when you're  not on a set somewhere, you'll have press tours, film festivals-"

"I get it, I get it. So I let my biological clock take over temporarily-"

I snorted. "You think? And people say _women_ are baby-mad."

He kissed my forehead. "This is why I love you."

"Because I insult you?" I asked in confusion.

He smiled and shook his head. "No, because you tell me flat out when I'm being a dingbat."

"You've spend too much time with Sadie," I teased. "Dingbat?"

"It's her favorite non-insult insult."

"Strangely enough, I understood what you just said," I laughed, laying my head on his chest. "So can we just take our time, Chris? We don't need to rush into anything - I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm not going anywhere either," he said, rubbing my back with one hand while tipping my face up to him for a lingering kiss. "I love you, Megan Jones."

 

*      *       *

Chris' POV

Megan wasn't in my bed when I woke up that morning reaching for her. The spot where she'd laid was still fairly warm, so she hadn't been gone for long. I laid there, thinking over everything we'd talked about last night.  I was still feeling a little disappointed that things didn't go the way I thought they would, but I also understood where she was coming from - maybe it _was_ a little soon to expect her to see things the same way I did, but the way I felt about her wasn't going to change.

Deciding to go in search of her, I got up and pulled on my large fluffy robe. I found her in my living room, looking out over my snowy backyard and drinking coffee, wearing the ugly oversized sweatshirt my brother had given her as a joke yesterday that read 'All I want for Christmas is Chris Evans' and some boyshorts.

"Morning," I said, kissing her neck and putting my arms around her, taking the mug from her and taking a long drink before setting the mug aside. "Looks like it snowed even more over night."

"Mmm," she said, turning into me. She laid her head on my chest and slid her arms around my waist, pulling me tight. "You're awful cuddly today."

"I'm always cuddly. Why are you wearing that ridiculous sweatshirt?" I asked, stroking her hair.

"Because it's funny! Baz thought so too - especially since you were in the picture with me," she giggled. "And holy shit - that picture got a lot of likes already!"

"Take it off," I begged, sliding my hands under it to feel her smooth skin with nothing else in my way. "It's a no-clothes day today, remember?"

"I was cold," she explained, kissing me deeply. "And we have to put clothes on eventually. I thought we were going to your dad's today?"

"We are, but not until later."

"Good. I need to go grab your other present; I couldn't exactly give it to you in front of your family yesterday."

I smiled, seeing her flush. "Something tells me I'm going to like it a lot. I have something for you, too. Check my right pocket."

She glanced up at me curiously before sliding her hand into the large, deep pocket of my robe and pulling out the small velvet box. She flicked her gaze at it for a moment, her eyes widening with alarm - before putting it right back in my pocket.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked, confused by her actions and a little hurt she didn't even want to open my gift.

"I thought we agreed that we were going to take our time on things?"

"We did," I said with a relieved smile.

"Then what is that for?" she asked suspiciously.

"It's not a ring, Megan," I sighed, exasperation creeping into my tone.  You'd think I was trying to give her a venomous snake instead of jewelry the way she was acting. I fished it back out of my pocket and held it out to her. "Will you open it now?"

"You _promise_ it's not a ring?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at me and watching my expression. If this were a movie, I would've wanted it to be a ring just to see her reaction - I was certain it would be epic.

"You know, most women _like_ getting jewelry as a gift," I grumbled. "I feel like our roles have been a little reversed - you should have been dropping hints and texting me pictures of diamond rings-"

"Not after two months, Chris. Maybe after two _years!_ And if someone -"

"You're stalling. Open the fucking box, Megan," I ordered in a firm voice, taking her hand in mine and setting the black velvet box in her palm.

"Okay, _Steve!_ Okay! I'm opening it - yeesh!" She pushed the lid open with her thumbs as I watched her expression change from stubborn suspicion to simple joy. She went up on tiptoe and gave me a kiss, winding her arms around my neck.

"Thank you, Chris. It's beautiful - and it's not a ring!"

"You doubted me?" I chuckled.

"Maybe a little. I wouldn't put it past you some days to totally ignore what you didn't want to hear."

I kissed her again before I let go of her to take it out of the box, wanting to see it on her. "It's designed to move with your heartbeat," I explained as she looked closer at the pendant, seeing the wiggling diamond and raising an eyebrow curiously. There were several things I thought about saying just then, most of them really sappy - strike that - _all_ of them ridiculously sappy - but in the end I didn't say anything at all, just smiling instead.

She turned so I could put it around her neck and fasten it, holding her hair to the side. I could see her watching me in the reflection of my patio doors, a happy smile on her full pink lips.

"Done," I said, dropping a kiss on the base of her neck. "Do you like it?"

"I do. It's very nice - and it's something that I could wear every day." She tipped her head back and I gave her an upside down kiss. "I'll be right back - I have to grab yours from my bag."

She was back a minute later with a large manila envelope. She put it in my hand and looked at me expectantly. "Merry Christmas."

I undid the brass brad and peeked inside, seeing a bunch of paper inside. I pulled them out and realized they were pictures. I took them out and slowly flipped through them, my jaw dropping as it clicked what they were. "You did a boudoir photo shoot for me?"

"Yeah," she said, her cheeks flushing. "I thought you might like it."

"Like it? I love it!" I said, giving her a kiss before looking through the photos again. They were all very tasteful - not porno at all - and something she'd done just for me. Seeing them turned me on even more. "My very own pin-up girl?" I asked with a smirk. "You really think Cap woulda looked at that kinda stuff?"

"Sure - he's a guy, right?" she laughed. " _Someone_ would've attempted to corrupt him - probably Bucky." I snorted, silently agreeing with her. "You know, since I bought all these outfits just to do the pictures, you haven't seen any of them before."

"Did you bring any with you for the weekend?" I asked, my voice already a little rough as I set the photos aside and pulled her over to me, delighted at the prospect of unwrapping her like a gift.

She gave me a wicked grin in answer. "Maybe," she said as slid her hands into my robe, exposing my body to her as she leaned against me, kissing me deeply. "You promised I could do anything I wanted, remember?"

"I did say that, didn't I?"

"Mmmhmm," she murmured as she kissed me again, wrapping her hand around my already hard cock. "I'm holding you to that, Evans. Bed. Now."

"Yes ma'am," I replied as I picked her up, deepening the kiss as I carried her back to bed.

I didn't protest when she insisted on handcuffing me to my bed; we both knew that I wouldn't keep my hands off her otherwise. She started to run her soft hands over every inch of my skin, setting me on fire.

She left the part of me that wanted her most for last, and my hard cock ached for her attention. I groaned when she finally took me into her hand as she leaned down to kiss me again, sucking on my tongue and driving me wild.

She stroked me until my breathing was uneven but stopped before I could come, grinning impishly before kissing, licking and sucking her way down my naked body until I was begging her to fuck me.

"You said whatever I want." She glanced up to see me watching her settling herself between my legs, my chest rising and falling quickly with the shallow breaths I was taking. "You never let me taste you," she murmured as she held my gaze, licking her lips.

I inhaled sharply as I realized what she wanted. My cock throbbed as I looked down at her, watching her fascinated smirk as she slid her hand all the way down to the base to hold it still and giggling when it twitched under her touch. She ran her thumb over my slit, smearing precum all over the smooth tip. My eyes widened as she leaned forward, running her tongue over the tip before taking me into her hot, wet mouth.

My eyes rolled back and I groaned, "Fuck, baby! You're killing me."

She made a noise of amusement, causing me to jump at the unexpected sensation, then did it again because I couldn't hold back a groan at how good it felt. She ran her hand over my length as she played with my tip; she was enjoying making me squirm. I let her experiment, licking, sucking, running her teeth over my hard length until I couldn't hold out against her any longer.

"Baby, I'm close," I groaned, unable to keep from thrusting against her mouth.

She increased the suction she was using, not letting up until I came, her eyes holding mine the entire time she swallowed, her pink lips tight around my cock. Arms trembling, I quickly freed myself from the cuffs and pulled her up to me, kissing her deeply, the taste of myself on her lips only reinforcing that she was mine in every way.

I wanted to show her my appreciation, so I shifted to lay her down on the bed to appreciate her body the way she liked best. I laved her breasts in turn, rolling and tweaking her nipples until she was writhing with pleasure - a sight I never got tired of.

"I need you in me, Chris," she moaned, eyes dark with passion and already so turned on from teasing me that I easily slipped two fingers inside her, my thumb teasing her clit. "Chris," she whined, rolling her hips and reaching for my cock, making sure I was fully hard again. I captured her lips with mine as I plunged into her wet heat, sending her over the edge within a few quick strokes.

Her inner walls clamped down on me so tight as she shattered that I thought I was going to come again already, barely hanging on to my control by my fingernails. When she started to come down from her high I changed positions, making her gasp when my long, smooth strokes started her building again until the start of her next orgasm brought on mine as our lips met.

She collapsed on me in exhaustion when the wave of passion finally released her and I was still inside her when I laid us back on the bed, both of us breathing hard.

"Did I _say_ you could let yourself go?" Megan teased hoarsely, kissing my jaw. "I think you outdid yourself this time, Chris."

"You were a little busy moaning my name," I chuckled, bringing one hand up to brush her hair back so I could see her better. "It didn't seem like you minded at the time."

"I'm not arguing," she sighed, kissing my chest, before snuggling in.

Her eyes start to flutter closed and I knew she'd be asleep very soon. I kissed the top of her head and put my arms around her. "Merry Christmas, Megan."

"Merry Christmas," she murmured so quietly I could barely hear her, struggling to keep her eyes open. She was out seconds later, a small smile on her lips. I reached over and grabbed the covers, tossing them up and over us before I fell asleep, too.

 

*        *          *

Megan's POV

I was glad to be back in Atlanta, I decided. I'd woken up well before my alarm and wasn't ready to get up yet, snug in my warm bed, my limbs tangled with Chris'. I let my eyes leisurely drink in his handsome features; I could watch him all day and not be bored - his face was so expressive, even in repose. He looked so peaceful right now; his tousled bedhead somehow managing to look picture perfect. His large limbs sprawled over most of the bed, his arm still around me, holding me next to him.

I absently traced the words of his clavicle tattoo as I turned over things in my mind. He said it again last night, those three little words. I'd almost been asleep when he'd said it, but I'd heard him; I still wasn't ready to say them back to him, though.

I stilled my hand when Chris started to move in his sleep, pulling me close and touching his face to mine. His breathing quickly returned to the slow and steady pattern of before and he didn't wake.

As I laid there, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeats, I suddenly realized that somewhere along the way, I _had_ fallen in love with this man. In a lot of ways, Chris really was just the guy next door, and I hadn't known him for very long, but somehow he'd managed to become essential to my happiness in a way I'd never expected, let alone anticipated.

I shifted to try and get comfortable, the increasing pain in my abdomen reminding me it was a good thing I was going to see the doctor today. The past couple days had made me very sure that something wasn't quite right with me, each day worse than the one before. I hadn't been able to keep anything down yesterday other than water and my pain pills, which had made Chris even more worried. I managed to convince him it was just because of the pain, but I myself wasn't even convinced that was the case.

I glanced at the clock, deciding I should actually get up and go shower. We were supposed to be leaving in about an hour and I knew it would take me longer to get ready then it would Chris. I untangled myself from him and eased out of bed, not wanting to wake him just yet.

I fought a round of nausea in the shower, just barely winning this time. I leaned against the shower wall, the water on as hot as I could stand as my body trembled uncontrollably.

"Megan, are you okay? I thought I heard something," Chris asked, coming quickly into the bathroom. I could hear the worry in his voice and felt bad that I was scaring him again.

"I'm okay," I started to answer, but it must not have been fast enough to satisfy him because the next thing I knew the door was opening and he was joining me in the shower, carefully pulling me into his arms.

"Did you get sick again? You're shaking, baby."

I rested my head on his warm chest, closing my eyes and letting him hold me up. "Not quite. My body hates me," I said, my voice breaking. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

He brushed my hair back so he could see my face. "I needed to get up anyway. Good thing you see the doctor today or I'd be dragging you in to the nearest ER." The little worry lines were back between his eyebrows again for a moment before he consciously composed his face.

"Sorry," I murmured. "Are you still coming with me today to my appointment?"

"Of course I am...unless you don't want me there." His eyes held mine, the blue a little greener today than I'd seen it before. He tried to cover his worry well - and he was a very good actor - but I could still tell how concerned he was about today in the little things, like the way he held me, one hand rubbing small soothing circles on my back.

"I'd really like it if you can be there, but I'll understand if you can't get away for the whole time."

"I'm free until this afternoon's mandatory meeting," he said, giving me a gentle kiss. "Not everyone's back yet today, so it worked out. Finish getting wet and I'll help you with your hair."

"I won't say no to that," I said with a smile.

There was just something soothing about someone you trusted shampooing your hair for you. I'd learned over this last week that Chris loved soaping me up and running his fingers through my hair in a way he couldn't do when it was dry. I sighed contentedly as I leaned on him, letting his nimble fingers massage my scalp and comb through my hair, turning it into a sensual experience. The pleasure quickly overtook the mid-level pain I'd been dealing with so far this morning, giving me a brief respite.

I felt Chris' cock hardening against my hip. His breath hitched when I took his hard length into my hand and started stroking him while he gave me his undivided attention. I tilted my head back just in time to catch his little smirk before his large hands skimmed down my back to cup my ass and squeeze my cheeks before working back up my body.

He groaned and kissed my forehead when I increased the pressure and pace, then started kneading my breasts briefly before those clever fingers found my clit, winding me up quickly. He claimed my lips as he picked me up, his intent clear - and I let him know I wanted him inside me. I let go of his cock and he slowly filled me, my arms winding around his neck and pulling him tight to me as he brought us both to completion just before everything went dark.

* *

"You can get dressed now," my doctor said as she peeled off her exam gloves and threw them away. "I'll have someone show you to my office and we can go through your options there."

"Options?" I asked, picking up on that word; it wasn't what I'd expected to hear.

"Yes. I'll show you all of your scan results as well."

"Can Chris be there for that?" I asked, purposely not giving our relationship a label and letting her make of it what she would; this really wasn't the kind of doctor you took 'just a boyfriend' to.

I'd made Chris stay out for this part of the exam, and now that it was over I was glad that I had. It wasn't a particularly pleasant experience at the best of times and I was in a decent amount of pain right now. I didn't want Chris to see me like this because he'd get upset and I didn't have the inclination or the energy it would take to deal with his anxiety. I was barely dealing with my own overwhelming emotions right now; I couldn't be strong for both of us, not today.

"Certainly," she said. "He's been waiting in there since he didn't want to be seen in the waiting room."

"Thanks. The paparazzi have been following us a lot again lately - and we'd rather keep this out of the gossip rags if at all possible."

"I understand. Many of my patients are high profile people, so they won't learn anything from me or my staff," she replied, nodding slightly and leaving the room.

"Hey baby," Chris said, a worried expression on his handsome face when I slowly walked in. I took the chair beside him and reached for his hand, concerned at how firmly he grasped mine; he'd done a good job of disguising his tension until now, but I knew him well enough by now to read his body language. I ran my free hand over his forearm comfortingly.

"Ouch," I hissed quietly when my bones protested the strength of his grip. "Ease up or I'm going to start calling you Steve."

"Sorry, baby."

He loosened his hand, rubbing feeling back into my fingers while the doctor talked us through my options. There were more options then I thought there would be simply because medical technology had progressed so rapidly over the past five years.

This doctor was very proactive, and thankfully very patient with both of us and our many questions, but we had to make a decision today because I was going to be checking into the hospital for surgery later today. Things weren't good, to put it simply; they were _really_ not good.

"I'll give you two some time to discuss this," the doctor said. "Just open the door when you're ready for me to come back in."

"Talk to me, Chris," I said, standing up and taking the two steps to stand in front of him. "Tell me what's going through that head of yours right now."

"I don't know what to say," he murmured, putting his arms around me and pulling me close, resting his head on my chest. "I didn't think things were that bad until I saw her reaction to your ultrasound earlier."

"Yeah, this _is_ a lot worse that I thought," I agreed. "I'm sorry, Chris-"

He gently pulled me into his lap and stopped me with a kiss. "You've got nothing to be sorry for. This isn't something you have any control over." His steel blue eyes were anguished and I felt tears gathering in the corner of my eyes. "I just don't want you to be in this kind of pain anymore, but it's your choice, and I'll still love you no matter what. Tell me what you want to do, Megan. Just _you_ \- don't worry about me or what I want - none of that is important right now, okay?"

I nodded, staring into those piercing blue eyes, and stoking his beard with one hand as I struggled to make the right decision. Nothing about this was simple because they weren't sure how bad it would be until they opened me up. 

 

*       *          *

Chris' POV

I was just numb – there was no other way to describe it. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. Instead of taking some medicine or something, Megan was going to have to start prepping for surgery _this afternoon_ because the growth had completely wrapped itself around an artery, among other things. She'd passed out this morning during her orgasm in the shower and scared the hell out of me; I'd never went soft so fast in my life before.

The worst thing was that she _didn't even know it'd happened_ \- I'd been too shocked to move and had just held her until she came around, trying to keep myself from panicking with only moderate success. I put my arms around her, resting my head on her shoulder and breathing in her familiar scent.

"It's your choice, and I'll still love you no matter what," I said when she looked up at me again.

"I think I want the option to have kids eventually. I know it makes it a little more complicated-"

The doctor had said they'd most likely be able to free her uterus from the growths choking it. It would mean a longer surgery, but it meant she might be able to have children... eventually.

"You don't have to do that for me, baby."

I kissed her forehead and took her hands in mine, squeezing them firmly before letting out a breath I hadn't been aware of holding in, immensely relieved that she'd chosen that option. The lump in my throat was choking me and I was pretty sure I was going to cry the minute I was alone again.

"I know I don't, but I think it'll be worth it," Megan said, unaware of my emotional state. "Would I have made the same decision five years ago? No, I don't think I would have. But I'm not the same person I was five years ago."

"Good, because dating someone half my age would be a little weird," I teased, making her roll her eyes at me.

"Not quite what I meant," she snorted. "This wasn't even an option five years ago. It was still an experimental procedure then." She stared at me for a long moment, studying me closely, an unusual expression on her face that I couldn't place.

"What?" I asked, stroking her face lightly. "What're you thinking, baby?"

"I'm thinking," she finally said a moment later, "that I want you to go to your meeting when they take me in, Chris. I don't want you sitting in a waiting room all alone, getting yourself worked up when it takes longer than planned-"

"No!" I exclaimed, not expecting her to say that and more than a little pissed she didn't want me there. "There's no fucking way I won't be there, Megan - no fucking way in hell!"

She put her hands on either side of my face, looking down at me. "Chris, I love you, but I know how you are -"

"You love me? Really?" I asked in disbelief. She said it like it was no big thing - but it was to me.

"Yeah, I do," she said with a smile. "I love you."

She loved me. I realized I was staring at her and she was still waiting for an answer. I cleared my throat and said in a normal-ish voice, "You don't know how bad I needed to hear you say that, baby." I carefully pulled her to me, hugging her tightly as I kissed her until we both had to come up for air. "I love you so, so much."

"I'm a little scared, Chris."

"Me too, baby. Me too - but you've been so sick these past couple days. It'll be good for you to not be in so much pain."

"I know. So who's going to keep you in line when I'm knocked out?"

"I'll call Seb and Mackie," I said, kissing her again. "The meeting got rescheduled anyway - Robert's flight got canceled and Joe's got the flu."

Even if the meeting hadn't been rescheduled, there was no way I was leaving her here alone. I didn't want to think about it, but there was always a chance of something going wrong anytime someone went under the knife. An otherwise healthy, active, 23 year old shouldn't die on the table, but I'd never forgive myself if I wasn't there and something went wrong.

"All right," she said, getting up to open the door. "Let's get this over with." She sat down next to me again, reaching for my hand.

The doctor walked back in. "So what did you decide?"

 


	24. Missing Pieces

Chris' POV

I smiled when Megan made me take a selfie with her in her generic hospital garb and blue hairnet even though there was nothing to smile about. She believed everything was going to turn out fine, so I was trying hard to see the glass half full. After she posted the picture, she handed me her phone to put in my pocket for safekeeping.

"Will you hang on to this for me, too?" She asked as she reached up and took off her necklace, which hadn't left her neck since the moment I'd given it to her other than when she showered. "I don't want to risk losing it. Pretty sure it's _not_ cubic zirconium."

"It's not," I agreed with a chuckle, putting it into my pocket carefully. "Love you," I said, trying to keep the desperation from creeping into my voice as I cupped her face, giving her a kiss. "Love you so much, baby."

She looked at me closely, and I knew I hadn't fooled her one bit. "Don't you go getting all emotional on me, Evans. I'll be back before you have time to miss me annoying you," she said, putting her arms around my waist like she always did and resting her head on my chest. "Are your babysitters here yet?"

I snorted at her phrasing. "Seb and Mackie just texted me to say they're here."

"Megan Jones?" A nurse wearing blue scrubs said, knocking before she came into the room.

"That's me," Megan said, loosening her grip on me and turning slightly to look at the nurse. I wasn't ready to let go of her just yet and kept my arms around her, just savoring the feel of her in my arms.

"We're ready for you. I'll be taking you back to surgery now and a liaison will come for Mr Evans shortly."

"Okay. See you soon, Chris," she said as she hugged me once more, kissing my neck. "Love you."

"Love you more," I whispered as I held her tight; it was harder than I thought, letting her go right now - but I had to. I stood there watching as Megan walked away with the nurse into a restricted section. She glanced back once before she turned a corner, giving me a quick smile and wave when she saw me watching before she was out of sight completely.

I was only alone for a minute before another woman came walking up to me, a tablet in hand. She was tall and blond, the kind of girl I used to go for - before Megan.

"Are you Mr Evans?" she asked, looking at me curiously, the Georgia twang in her voice telling me she was a local.

"Yeah. I'm Chris," I said, holding out a hand that she took, shaking firmly.

"Nice to meet you, Chris. I'm Amy and I've been assigned to you as your liaison. We've got a private waiting room set up already. I've been told there are two men in the waiting area that said they're with you and Miss Jones. Are y'all expecting anyone else?"

"Not that I know of yet," I said, smoothing my beard. "Megan's parents are stuck in Denver waiting on the storm to pass and no one else is back yet from the holiday. This wasn't exactly something we had planned." I followed her through the maze of hallways, thoroughly lost.

"No, I understand that it wasn't." She stopped by a door with a small window in it. "Are those two men in the hats the ones I'm looking for?" She pointed to Sebastian and Mackie, who were standing together and talking while they waited for me, trying to look inconspicuous and failing.

"Yup. That's them - Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie."

"Sebastian and Anthony," she repeated. "If you'll wait here, Chris, I'll go get them so they can come back with us. The waiting room is quite full and Miss Jones was very insistent that you not be seen here if possible."

I nodded, thankful I wouldn't have to go out there myself. Amy seemed very competent, which was going a long ways to setting my mind at ease. I watched as she approached my friends, speaking briefly and shaking both their hands before turning and bringing them back through the door I was waiting beside, tapping her retractable name badge on a pad I didn't see.

"You look like shit, Chris," Mackie said as he gave me a hug; my face must be showing more than I thought it was.

"Com'ere, punk," Sebastian said, pulling me into a bear hug. "She's gonna be okay."

"Yeah, I hope so," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"If y'all will follow me?" Amy said when Seb let go of me. "We'll get y'all situated and I'll relocate Miss Jones' belongings to the room she'll be assigned to after she leaves the PACU."

"Thank you," I said to her. "I really appreciate how helpful you've been."

"So how do you get a job like this?" Mackie asked Amy as we walked. "Or are we just making your day more complicated?"

"Right place at the right time. Miss Jones called and talked to my boss and everyone else was out of the office just then. Normally this would have been lined up further ahead of time, but everything still worked out by the time y'all got here."

Sebastian threw his arm around my shoulder as we walked. "How was she when they came and got her?"

"Better than I expected. She's been in a lot of pain the past couple days."

"Sadie said she'll be here later tonight – her and the boys – they were planning on coming for a week anyways since the boys don't have school and the Russos said they can come to the set."

"How's Sadie? I haven't talked to her in couple days."

"She's a little worried," Sebastian admitted as Amy showed us into a windowless waiting room with a couple couches, a TV, coffee pot and snacks. My guess was that this was one of the doctor's lounges. "But she said it's better to get it done now before things get worse. She knew the fainting had been going on for a while now - since Australia for sure, maybe a little longer."

"I can't believe Megan told Sadie before she told me," I said flatly, more than a little upset about that detail. "I see how I rate." Sebastian smacked the back of my head as he walked past me and gave me a look. I glared at him before turning my attention to Amy.

"This is what we have set up for y'all. I'll be back in about 15 minutes – there's a few more details I need to check on first. Dial this number on that phone," she showed us a card and pointed at a wall phone, "if there's anything else y'all need."

"Thanks, Amy," I said, taking the business card she handed me. I flipped it over and saw there was a four digit extension scrawled on the back, which I assumed was for the utilitarian cordless phone I'd noticed clipped into her pocket. "How long will the surgery take?"

"I can find out for sure when I pick up Miss Jones' belongings," she said, checking her tablet before looking up at me. "But the information they gave me earlier said that based on her scans, it would be a minimum of two hours, possibly longer, with at least a half hour for her to wake up."

"Good to know," Mackie said, sitting on a couch. "Thanks, Amy." The blond nodded and left the room, and I was very thankful my friends could be here with me today because I was already starting to get anxious and we still had a ways to go before she was done.

"Back to what we were talking about before," Sebastian said, indicating I should sit. He poured a cup of coffee for both of us and sat down beside me. "It's mostly because Sadie's her boss, which gives her a right to know things like that, plus you're not female and you flip out about things pretty easy, punk."

I couldn't even deny that based on the frantic texts I'd sent them this morning when I'd found out Megan needed surgery. "Jerk. She fainted again this morning," I admitted. "Freaked me out a little bit since we were in the shower."

"Whoa – back up there," Anthony ordered. "Since when does Cinnamini faint? How long's that been going on for? She seemed fine when I saw her last week before we all scattered for the holiday."

"For a couple weeks now, I guess," I said, exhaling loudly. "Fuck. I mean, I _knew_ she fainted once in Australia but she'd been really sick the day before because Shawn took her on a boat - and you know how bad she is on boats."

"I never knew someone could get _that sick_ that fast," Anthony said, shaking his head and putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, well, I didn't find out that wasn't an isolated incident until Christmas Eve when I surprised her - she dropped instantly and scared the shit out of me." I ran my hands over my face, struggling to keep control right now and not let my anxiety get the best of me. "Right now, if she so much as _stands up_ too fast, she fucking faints."

"That's...not good," Sebastian said, frowning deeply as he took a drink. "That's even worse than I thought it was from what Sadie said. Frankly, I'm a little pissed that I had to hear about it in a roundabout way."

"Yeah, me too," Anthony said. "So she wasn't even going to tell you this was happening if you hadn't found out for yourself?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I don't think she was. I mean she made the doctor's appointment for today and was planning on just going by herself-"

"When we'd all normally be on set," Sebastian pointed out. "So you wouldn't have found out anything was wrong-"

"Until she called to say she would be going in for what basically amounts to goddamn emergency surgery," I finished.

"Damn, man. That's cold!" Anthony said.

Sebastian took a drink of his coffee. "Was she not going to tell you because she knows how you get or because she didn't think it was going to be this serious?"

"I don't know," I said quietly, looking over at him. "A little bit of both, I think. She didn't think she was going to have to be going in today either."

"She fainted today from just _showering_?" Sebastian asked, his cerulean eyes concerned as he ran one hand through his long hair.

"If I say yes would you believe me?" I said, flushing slightly and looking away.

"Nope!" they chorused with matching smirks.

*            *

"Miss Jones is out of surgery now," Amy said when she came back in a while later. "I'll take y'all to her room if you want."

"Please do," Sebastian said, standing up and stretching. We followed Amy as she led us to Megan's room.

"They should be bringing her in shortly," Amy said. "She was just starting to wake up when I left PACU."

"Thank you," I said, shaking her hand. "I really appreciate you making this easier today."

"No problem," Amy said. "Glad I could be of service."

*             *

"Hey baby," I said when they wheeled Megan's bed into the room. She looked tired and pale with several IV's hooked to her. Her forest green eyes were open and darting around, taking in her surroundings before settling on me. She gave me a look that I didn't understand, a small smile on her lips.

"Steve, what are you doing here?" she asked weakly, her brows drawn up in confusion. "It's so good to see you, but you're not supposed to be in the States - does Tony know you're here?"

I looked at Seb and Anthony in alarm. "Megan, honey. I'm Chris, not Steve."

"No, you're Steve," she insisted, mentally knocking me back on my ass. "Who's Megan?"

"Who am I?" Sebastian asked, drawing her attention away from me as I struggled to comprehend what had just happened. She didn't know who _I_ was - she didn't even know who _she_ was - this was something I'd never anticipated happening.

"Bucky! You're back!" She smiled happily like he was her favorite person in the world, holding up her hand to him imploringly.

He walked over and took it, kissing her hand. "Yeah, I'm back, kid. You gave us a pretty bad scare today."

"I didn't try to," she said, tearing up a little.

"Shh," he said, giving her a hug, her small hands wrapping tightly around his forearm. "Don't go getting upset over something you couldn't do anything about, okay?"

"Okay," she said shakily, nodding her head and letting go of him.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Anthony asked, giving her a look. "How are you feeling, Cinnamini?" He walked over and gave her a gentle hug, kissing her forehead.

"Like I got hit by a truck, Sam."

"You kinda look like shit, though."

"Keep giving me such beautiful compliments and you'll turn my head," she said with a weak chuckle that turned to a whimper. "Don't make me laugh...it hurts."

"Gentlemen, if y'all would wait outside for a minute while we get the patient situated?" the nurse asked politely, meeting our eyes. We quickly went to wait outside, shutting the door behind us and they drew the curtains, blocking off the room completely.

"That's a new one," Anthony said, rubbing his neck. "So you think she's still loopy from the surgery or what?"

"I don't know," I said, staring at the door and shaking my head. "I just don't know."

A man in scrubs and a white coat came up to the room, walking quickly past us. He squirted some handrub into his hand before letting himself in, shutting the door behind him. We exchanged worried looks, Seb pulling me into his arms and Anthony rubbing my back.

"It's like she's got some kind of weird amnesia or something," Seb said. "I get that she thinks we're all our characters - but exactly _who_ does she think she is?"

I racked my brain to come up with a reasonable explanation for why this was happening. "We did a long script reading session yesterday afternoon when we got home so I could work on my lines - you know that scene coming up with me, Sadie, and you both?"

"So she might think she's Evelyn?" Anthony asked with a sigh.

"It would appear so," an unfamiliar voice said. I turned to see the man who'd entered the room earlier closing the door behind him, his badge telling me he was a doctor. "It took her a little bit but she eventually gave me that name. No last name, just Evelyn - or Evie, as she preferred."

"How did this happen?" I asked, my heart sinking. "That's my girlfriend in there and she doesn't even know who I really am."

"It's rather uncommon, Mr Evans, and I've only seen this twice before to this extent in my entire career," the doctor said shaking his head. He put more alcohol handrub on and worked it in methodically as he spoke. "It appears that Miss Jones is experiencing a type of amnesia that's thought to be triggered by anesthesia. It typically lasts for up to three days following surgery and tends to resolve itself."

"So will she remember that it happened?" Sebastian asked when I couldn't find my voice to speak, his hand on my shoulder.

"Mostly likely not; I can only advise you to play along as best you can, which in this case sounds like it shouldn't be hard since she thinks you are the Marvel characters you're known for portraying." We nodded, that was definitely doable. "I'm going to have the nurse give her a mild sedative so she'll be able to sleep painlessly since it's so late already. As soon as the nurse comes out you can go back in."

"Thanks, Doctor," I said, holding out my hand to him and he shook it firmly. "Will it be all right if Sadie Wilson comes up to see her? That's who really plays Evie in the movies. She's a good friend of Megan's."

The doctor considered that for a moment. "I don't see any reason why she shouldn't - I know who Mrs Wilson is and I'm aware of all of your character's relationships as of the _Civil War_ movie."

"Good," Anthony put in, "less explanation needed then."

"Indeed. Would you agree there's no real physical similarities between the two women?"

"Yeah," Sebastian said and Anthony nodded. "They're only somewhat alike when it comes to their personalities and sense of humor."

"Good. Megan may not recognize Mrs Wilson, though, so it would be best for her to be prepared for that eventuality," the doctor warned.

"I'll make sure to talk to Sadie," Sebastian offered. "This could get interesting if Megan thinks we're actually involved or something."

"You think?" Anthony muttered. "At least this isn't my fault."

"This time," I said as he rolled his eyes at me.

"I'm only sorry I don't have better news for you," the doctor concluded, giving me a sympathetic look. "She'll be monitored overnight and hopefully in the morning she'll be back to normal. If you'll excuse me, I'm scheduled for another case in the OR right now, but I'll be back to check in on her later."

 

*         *          *

Evelyn's (Megan) POV

I fought the persistent pull of sleep - it was taking me forever to wake up all the way. I hated the way whatever they'd used for anesthesia made me feel - so heavy and groggy - like I couldn't move my limbs. I answered the nurse's questions. I knew who I was, that was easy. I didn't know why I needed to have surgery, though; I must have gotten injured somehow, but no one would tell me anything.

"Where's Bucky?" I asked the nurse who was checking my monitors and hitting buttons on the IV pump. "And Steve and Sam?"

"They're waiting just outside your room, ma'am," she said kindly. "We didn't think you wanted them all to see you naked when I check your incision point in a couple minutes."

"You're right - I don't."

"I need to get the rest of your antibiotics running first, though." She had a heavy Southern accent, like most of the other people I'd heard on the way to this room, leading me to believe I was back in the States again.

"You can call me Evie," I said, deciding I didn't really want to be called ma'am.

"All right, Evie. You have a very handsome boyfriend there," she said, smiling.

"Yes, Bucky is very handsome. He's my husband, though," I explained. "How did it go?"

"Your surgery went fine," the nurse said, finishing what she was doing. "I need you to keep your right arm relatively straight so your IV's keep running; you're still a little dehydrated. Can you tell me if you're in any pain right now?"

"Some," I said after I took a moment to listen to my body. "It's tolerable. Are my toes moving? I can't feel them."

"They gave you a spinal block for the procedure, Evie. It will be starting to wear off soon, but in the meantime you let me know if you start feeling more pain. I'm going to check your incision right now. You should close your eyes if you think it'll make you sick."

"Okay," I agreed, curious about this surgery I'd had. The nurse gently moved the covers off me and moved my gown aside. I looked down to see tape and gauze covering my lower abdomen. "Did I have a baby?" I asked when she peeled that off to uncover a long row of neatly placed staples. "I don't remember being pregnant."

My nurse shook her head, a sympathetic expression on her face. "No, Evie - you did not have a baby. You had to have this surgery so you can have a baby eventually."

"Oh," I said, raising my eyebrows as I digested that information.

This was all news to me. I listened as she told me what she was doing and why; all this medical stuff was fascinating. Eventually she finished and covered me back up, telling me she'd check in on me later. I smiled happily when I saw the guys come back into my room; even though I was tired, I still wanted to see them. They quickly put smiles on their faces but they all looked a little...upset...concerned? Maybe that was the word I was looking for.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, looking from face to face.

Bucky slowly moved to sit beside my bed on the chair there and leaned forward, his voice low and even. "You scared the shit out of us, Roşu-"

"Why are you calling me that?"

"It's your nickname."

I shook my head. "Doll is my nickname, not whatever you just said."

"What Bucky's trying to say is that one minute you were fine and the next you were going in for emergency surgery," Steve said, coming up beside Bucky.

I considered that for a moment, confused by that. "I was that sick? Is that why I don't remember anything?"

"They don't know, Evie," Steve said, leaning over to kiss my cheek, one hand cupping my face. I stared into his steel blue eyes, staggered by the depth of emotion I saw there. "We're just lucky we got you here when we did." He kissed my forehead and straightened up, standing beside Bucky with his hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, what he said," Sam seconded from the foot of my bed, standing there with his arms crossed. "I thought we really were going to have to sit on your man for a bit there."

I blinked at him in astonishment, not knowing what to think of that. I looked over at Bucky, seeing him watching me with an enigmatic expression. I held my hand out to him and he took it, chafing it between both of his larger hands.

"Your hands are cold, doll," Bucky said, giving me that crooked grin I knew so well.

"Yours are nice and warm," I replied, yawning widely. "I just woke up; I don't know why I'm so tired again all of a sudden."

"You can go to sleep, doll,"  Bucky said, rubbing his thumb slowly over my knuckles. "We're here now, okay?"

"Okay," I said, yawning again. "Hydra doesn't know I'm here, do they?"

"No doll - you're in a secure Shield facility," Steve assured me. "Everyone here has been cleared - Hydra won't come for you here; I promise."

 

*  *  *

Chris' POV

I tried to keep it together for as long as possible. Megan fell asleep quickly, the sedative the nurse had given her taking effect right before our eyes. It was like we were filming a scene but everything was just a little bit off.

"You okay, man?" Anthony asked me after he was sure Megan was asleep.

"Not really, but there's nothing anyone can do about it. Thanks for keeping me company today."

He pulled me into a one armed hug. "Anytime. If she's out for now, I'm going to head home and see my kids for a bit before they have to get to bed."

"Tell Sheletta hi for me," I said as I let go of him. "And thanks for letting you hang out with me this afternoon."

"You gonna be on set tomorrow?"

I looked over at the sleeping woman, exhaling loudly in frustration as I watched Sebastian let go of Megan's hand, setting it down on the bed. "I don't know yet. I'm going to give Anthony and Joe a call in a little bit here and see what we can work out. I hate to leave her here all by herself when she doesn't even know who _she_ is. What would you do?"

"If that were Shel, my ass would be camped out here until she remembered me," he said seriously. "I hope to God she wakes up tomorrow and everything is fine again."

"You and me both, buddy. See you later."

Mackie clapped me on the back and let himself out of the room. I took a couple minutes to respond to the texts my family had sent and updated Megan's parents. They would be on the first flight tomorrow; the storm was supposed to be past Denver by then.

"I'm going to get a water and see where Sadie and the boys are at," Sebastian said, standing up and stretching. "I texted her Megan's room number but she hasn't responded yet. Are you going to be okay for a little bit?"

"Yeah," I said, lying through my teeth.

"I'll be right back - five minutes tops - so don't do nothin' stupid, punk," he warned me as he walked out the door.

I nodded as I walked over to the chair he'd just vacated, chuckling at his wording. The moment he was gone, the laugh turned into a sob - I couldn't hold it in any longer as my emotions got the best of me - it had been such a roller coaster of a day.

Sebastian cursed when he came back in and pulled me to my feet for a hug, murmuring reassurances as he held on to me, one arm pulling me tight to his chest and the other rubbing my back. I didn't hear Sadie come in, but I knew it was her from the way she hugged me, a whiff of her light perfume grounding me again. She shifted her way into our arms, getting in the middle of the hug somehow and I clung to her desperately.

"It'll be okay, Chris," Sadie said, kissing my cheek. "It'll be okay. I'm sorry I couldn't get here any sooner. It took forever to get across town from the airport." I buried my face in her shoulder, her arms securely around my neck and waist. "Take a deep breath, babe. You're going to make yourself sick if you don't. Just listen to my voice and breathe for me, Chris."

I took a deep, shuddery breath and let it out, listening to her verbal prompts. We'd done this so many times for each other it was almost second nature anymore. Slowly, I regained control of myself, the tears starting to dry on my cheeks.

"I'm sorry," I said when I finally could speak again, my voice still uneven. "I didn't mean for you to see that."

Sadie wiped away the last traces of my tears, her golden brown eyes holding mine. "I love you, Christopher, and I know your demons almost as well as my own. You've got nothing to be sorry for, babe."

"She doesn't know me, doll."

"She will," Sadie promised. "And when she does, you'll forget about all of this."

"It'll just be another bad dream," I nodded, pulling her in for another hug.

Sadie kissed my cheek before resting her cheek against mine. "You need to shave, mister."

"That's my Sadie," I grinned, rubbing her cheek with my beard just to hear her protest. "You'll be the first one to know when I do, doll."

She gave me a mock angry look as she pushed my face away lightly. "Go splash some water on your face while I talk to Sebastian, okay?"

"Are the boys here?" I asked, letting go of her and looking around.

"I told them to wait outside because I thought it would scare them to see you like that, Chris," she admitted, pointing to the adjoining bathroom for me and I started walking towards it. "You've always been the strong one - ever since Germany. They know you get anxiety attacks, but they've never seen one _this_ bad before."

"Do you have some headphones, Sadie?" I asked her suddenly as inspiration struck.

Sadie paused in the doorway. "I think one of the boys does. Do you want me to ask them?"

"Please?" I said. "I've got an idea."

Megan had been sending me songs she wanted me to listen to ever since we'd first started dating and I'd added all of them to a playlist on my phone in the order she'd sent them. They ranged from old classics to country to screamer rock depending on the day and how she felt - or what she was trying to tell me. I opened the playlist and added in a recording of her and Shawn singing _Rewrite the Stars_ and their duet.

"You should add in the songs she's got on her 'Short Loop' playlist," Sadie suggested when she came in a moment later with a set of earbuds and saw what I was doing. "That's just whatever she's wanting to listen to on repeat at the moment - it changes constantly."

"Do you think this will help?"

"It can't hurt," Sebastian said as he came back in. "I'll bring by her Beats after I take Sadie and the boys home if you want. She hates that style of earbud, doll."

"I know," Sadie said, leaning into him as he put his arm around her. "But that's all we have on us at the moment. It's better than nothing."

"Isn't Megan going to wake up?" Isaac asked, having followed Sebastian in.

"She woke up earlier but didn't remember who she was," I explained, plugging the earbuds into my phone and checking the volume before putting them in Megan's ears.

"She's got amnesia for real?" Liam asked, coming up beside me.

"Yeah. She thinks Chris is Steve and I'm Bucky," Sebastian said, putting an arm around the teen's shoulders. "Mackie is Sam to her and she thinks she's Evelyn right now. It was a little bit of a surprise to all of us."

"So she won't remember us?" Isaac asked sadly, pressing himself closer to me. I put my arms around his slim frame, hugging him to me as we looked at Megan's sleeping form.

"I don't know. Hopefully when she wakes up in the morning she does. How was the flight back?"

"I've never been so happy to get off the plane before. Mom let us fly first class with her!"

"She did? Sadie, you spoiling my boys already?"

"If we had to be on a plane for damn near a day, we were going to be comfortable," she replied tartly. "Besides, Liam's already bigger than me - I'm pretty sure he appreciated the extra leg room."

"I did," the teen said, grinning at me. "I'm almost as tall as you now, Chris - and Seb too, since you're about the same height."

"Yeah, I see that. Gonna pass me up by the next time I see you, aren't you?" I cracked a smile, relaxing a little bit now; the rest was up to her. By the time they all left, I was feeling a little more optimistic about things. If anything would bring my Megan back to me, this was it.

*            *

"Steve?"

"Yeah, doll?" I yawned, sitting up in my chair. I'd dozed off a while ago thinking that she would stay sleeping through the night.

"Where's Bucky?" Megan asked in a small, worried voice, her hand tense in mine.

"I sent him to get something to eat," I said, rubbing my eyes and looking at her. She didn't look very good right now, her face was pale again and there were recent tear tracks on her face. "We didn't think you'd wake up already. How are you feeling?"

"I really hurt," she whimpered, her legs moving restlessly. It was killing me to see her like this; I kept her hand in mine to keep her from touching her belly as I hit her call button.

"I'm sure you do, doll. I just called your nurse; your pain medicine must have worn off already."

Her nurse was prepared and quickly convinced Megan that pain medicine was in her best interest - she'd heal faster if she wasn't in pain. She also said Megan could have something light to eat as long as she wasn't feeling nauseous and listed a couple options as she slowly pushed the contents of a small syringe into Megan's IV line.

"Anything sound good right now?" I asked when she didn't speak right away.

"Chicken noodle soup," she said decisively, her teeth worrying her lower lip. "And crackers." The nurse nodded and went to get her some.

"Your favorite," I said with a smile, resisting the urge to reach over and free her lip from her teeth.

"It is?"

"Yeah. With grilled cheese sandwiches; you like to dip them in the broth." Megan smiled at me, the pain medicine was kicking in already and she was starting to relax a little. "What are you listening to now?"

" _Bad Day_ by Fuel," she said, showing me the phone screen. "It seems fitting." She played it for me and I recognized it right away - it was an older song, but still a good one.

"You sent me that song when Sha- _I mean a friend_ \- made you go on a boat and you got really seasick," I said after a moment. She cocked her head curiously at me and I realized she didn't remember that either. "I made you send me a picture so I could see that you were okay." I tapped the phone, quickly finding the picture to show her. "See?"

"I do look pretty horrible in that picture. Can I look at the rest of them?" she asked, looking at me for confirmation before swiping.

"Yeah - go right ahead." Maybe something would jog her memory. I watched as she slowly scrolled through them before stopping on a selfie I'd taken of the two of us a couple days ago at my place in Boston.

"Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"Why am I kissing you in this picture?" she asked in a small voice.

 _Because you love me_ , is what I wanted to say, but she didn't remember that yet, so I made something up that she'd believe. "Because I was undercover and needed your help, just like the first time you saved me, Evie. We had to pretend to be a couple and it worked like a charm. You're a pretty good kisser, doll."

"What did Bucky say about it? Was he okay with it?"

"It was for a mission, so he wasn't _happy_ but he wasn't mad either - he said I needed more practice," I said with a grin; it sounded like something Bucky would tell Steve.

"I can't be the only girl you've kissed since 1945, Rogers," she said skeptically.

I gave her a Steve smile. "A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell, doll."

"Never let it be said that Captain America isn't a gentleman," she teased, handing me back the phone. "You should plug this in, Steve. Your battery is running pretty low."

 

 

 


	25. All Better

Chris' POV

I must have fallen asleep again, I determined as I woke up to someone gently brushing my shaggy hair back out of my face. My head was on my arms, which were leaning on the side rails of Megan's hospital bed. The touch was familiar and I looked up to see that Megan was awake and smiling fondly at me.

"Sorry - I didn't mean to wake you," she said quietly. "I just couldn't resist moving that wild hair anymore."

"It's okay baby," I said, sitting up slowly and taking her hand in mine, linking our fingers together out of habit and kissing her hand. "How are you feeling?"

She cocked her head endearingly. "Tired and achy...maybe hungry...I'm not really sure. What are you doing here so early? Didn't you go home and get some sleep?"

"Do you know who I am?" I asked her, holding my breath as I waited for her to answer. Her eyebrows drew together in confusion and she patted my hand with her free one.

"Chris, why _wouldn't_ I know you? Pretty sure the whole world knows you."

Relief flooded me as I jumped to my feet and leaned over suddenly to kiss her, startling her with my quick movement. "You're back," I murmured against her lips. " _You're back_."

She brought her other hand up to my face, brushing away the couple tears of happiness that had escaped my eyes as she stared into my eyes with a bewildered expression. "Chris, _what on earth_ has gotten into you? I didn't go anywhere other than surg-"

I kissed her again, my free hand cupping her face, her skin so soft and warm - the pallor of before long gone, replaced by flushed cheeks and the familiar sparkle in her eyes.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, baby," I said, peppering her lips with kisses.  
  


*                *            *

Megan's POV

"How did the surgery go?" I asked my nurse before getting a pang of déjà vu. I shook my head to clear it. "Did I ask you that already?"

"You did yesterday, but your surgery went just fine," the nurse said. "The doctor will be in shortly to check on you and talk to you both. Are you in any pain right now?"

"Some," I said after I took a moment to listen to my body. "It's tolerable."

* *

"Good morning, Miss Jones," one of my doctors said as he came into my room. He picked up a tablet and typed something on it before giving me his full attention.

"Hey Doc," I said with a smile, submitting to being examined. Chris had insisted on staying put, saying he wanted to hear the doctor's instructions so he didn't do anything to hurt me.

"Your incision looks good - all the staples are still in place." He gently palpitated my abdomen, feeling for anything abnormal. "Any pain beyond general soreness?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "How long will I have these staples?"

"At least a week, maybe longer - depending on how quickly you heal. It seems like the other issue has resolved itself, would you agree Mr Evans?"

"Yes, it did."

"What are you talking about?" I asked curiously. " _Other_ issue?"

"Miss Jones, when you woke up after your surgery yesterday you were...manifesting...symptoms of amnesia in the form of identity confusion."

"I didn't remember who I was?" I asked in alarm. Chris linked his hand with mine, his thumb drawing slow circles over the back of my hand.

"You thought you were Evelyn, baby," Chris said quietly, his eyes serious. "And I was Steve to you."

I stared at him in shock, lips parted slightly. "I'm so sorry, Chris. Did that last very long?"

"Just until about 6 am; when you woke up then you were back to normal."

"Did she wake at any other time during the night?" the doctor asked Chris.

He nodded. "Just once at around 2 or so. She still thought she was Evie then, though."

The doctor made a note on his tablet. "I took the liberty of reviewing your medical history, Miss Jones, and I didn't see any other mention of amnesia from your previous surgeries."

"I'll have to ask my mom," I said, feeling a little overwhelmed. "I don't remember anything about yesterday after I walked back to the operating room."

"Not unexpected considering the circumstances. Your surgery went well; we removed all of the growths - along with several smaller ones as a preventative measure - amounting to just under ten pounds worth, all together."

"Wow - ten pounds? That's a lot...so it wasn't cancerous?" I asked worriedly; going into this my biggest concern was that I had developed an aggressive form of cancer even though all of my bloodwork had ruled that out. I heard Chris' surprised huff and his hand squeezed mine a little harder.

The doctor shook his head. "Biopsy samples were sent off to get tested per policy and it will be a day or two before we hear back on that, but I would be very surprised if they were cancerous. Do you have any other questions for me?"

"What about the rest?" I was suddenly afraid of what he was going to say but his expression didn't change. "Did I get to keep either of my ovaries?"

"Ahh...yes of course. We were able to save the right ovary and completely free your uterus from the growths, which is excellent news. We also cleared as much of the blockage from the remaining Fallopian tube as possible, restoring functionality."

"So I still have one working ovary _and_ a uterus?" That was better than I had hoped for initially, a lot better. I glanced over at Chris and smiled, his hand squeezing mine lightly in encouragement.

The doctor nodded. "That's correct. We also discovered that the reason you've been so nauseous recently was because the cyst was attempting to close off a section of your large intestine."

I looked at the doctor in alarm. "Like the one around my artery?"

"Precisely. You were very lucky you came in when you did. If you would have waited much longer, there would have been irreversible damage to your intestine at the very least." 

"Great - my body hates me," I groaned. What else was new? "So how long am I going to be here?"

"I would like you to remain here for a minimum of three more days - four would be ideal given the size of the incision." I met Chris' eyes and knew I'd be here for four if he had his way. "Get plenty of rest and don't let the pain get out of control - the less pain you have, the better."

"Can I get out of bed today?"

"Certainly - now that your amnesia is gone I have no problem with you getting up and encourage you to move around as much as you feel comfortable with. Your catheter can be removed whenever you feel ready."

"The sooner the better," I muttered. "Any other restrictions?" I knew that probably wasn't all given that this was almost the equivalent of a C-section and I remember my girlfriends telling me they weren't allowed to do much for at least 6 weeks afterwards.

"No intercourse and no lifting more than five pounds for four weeks to give your muscles time to heal. I think that covers everything for the moment - you'll get more detailed instructions before you're discharged."

"Yes sir, Doctor sir," I said with a salute, making him smile. "Thanks for everything."

"You're welcome, Miss Jones."

I waited until after the doctor had left to talk to Chris. "You should go to work today, Chris. I'm going to order something to eat, take a shower, and then I plan on dozing for most of the day since whatever they've been giving me for the pain makes me sleepy."

His cobalt eyes held mine and it was a long moment before he spoke. "Are you sure, baby? Your parents will be here in a couple hours - I can go then."

"You won't miss any work if you leave now," I pointed out. "I'm glad that you stayed with me last night, but they're gonna need you on set today if they're going to finish up here so we can go on to England-"

"Scotland," he corrected.

" _Wherever_ ," I said, holding up a hand. "Either way, I heard you're running behind by a couple days because of the holidays, so you need to go to work and bring your 'A' game."

"I don't want to leave you here all by yourself," he said, kissing my hand again.

"Chris, I love you, but right now you need to focus on work. I'll be right here when you get done for the day."

"Love you too, baby," he said, stroking my face and not making a move to leave.

I looked at him for a long moment, trying to decide if this was just because he felt like being stubborn or if there was more to it than that. "Are you just afraid that if you leave I won't remember you again?"

"Something like that," he admitted, his cheeks flushing lightly. "It was kind of a big shock, you thinking we were all our characters."

"All? Shit! Who was here?" I asked, afraid of what I might have said to them.

"Just Seb and Mackie," he said with a grin. I groaned, covering my face with one hand. "Sadie didn't get here until after they knocked you out again, so we didn't get to find out who you thought she was."

"Oh god! I'm never going to hear the end of it, am I?"

"You were _almost_ more entertaining than when we made you watch our movies for the first time when you were drunk. _Almost_."

"Kill me now!" I groaned. "I can't believe I did that! Did I say anything stupid?"

"You were very concerned with _why_ we were kissing in one of the pictures you saw on my phone." I peeked through my fingers at him to see his grin. "And what _Bucky_ would say about it. I told you we were on an undercover mission and Bucky said I needed more practice kissing."

"You didn't!"

"What else was I supposed to tell you? You told your nurse you were married to Bucky, by the way. Mackie thought that was fucking hilarious."

"He's not going to let that go, is he?" I sighed.

"Not a chance," he said, leaning over to kiss me. "Do you want me to bring you anything when I come back?"

"I can't think of anything right now, but I'll text you if I do, okay?"

"Promise?"

"I promise. Are you going to freak out if I tell you you're acting like Steve right now?"

"No," he said too quickly. I gave him a look and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Maybe a little. You really scared me, baby."

"At least I recognized you in some way and didn't think you were a creeper or something."

"There is that," he said doubtfully.

"Get going, Ace. You've got superhero stuff to do today."

"I'm going - _I'm going!"_ he grumbled. He stood up and stretched out before leaning down to give me the kind of kiss that left me wanting more. "It's going to be a long month, baby."

"Yeah, it is," I agreed. "But you're going to be really busy the whole time anyways."

"Love you," Chris said, rubbing his nose against mine in an Eskimo kiss. "I'm so glad to have you back again."

*    *

I smiled tiredly when I woke up to see Sebastian and Anthony standing over me. They quickly put smiles on their faces but I knew I was in for it from their expressions.

"Your parents went to get something to eat," Sebastian said, his face intentionally blank.

"You can yell at me tomorrow," I said weakly, holding up a hand, palm out. "Okay?"

"I'm holding you to that," Sebastian said as he sat on the bed beside me, his cerulean eyes studying me. "You scared the shit out of us, Roşu. One minute you're fine and the next you're going in for goddamn emergency surgery."

"Yeah, what he said," Anthony said as he sat down in the chair next to the bed, folding his arms over his chest.

"You really weren't going to say anything to us?" Sebastian asked, and I saw the anger in the way his jaw clenched when I nodded once.

"What was I supposed to tell you without it sounding all dire and horrible, Baz? I didn't know it was this bad until today - or yesterday - I guess. Why should I have everyone freaking out-"

"Don't you finish that sentence, Cinnamini," Anthony ordered.

"We're your friends and we care about you, Megan," Sebastian said. "Friends tell each other this kind of shit - even if it's bad."

"Especially if it's bad," Anthony put in, giving me a look. "What the hell are friends for?"

"Next time my female parts try to kill me I'll make sure to tell you," I said, feeling tears prickling at the corner of my eyes. I swiped my arm across my face to get rid of them. "Even if it's just my period?"

They both nodded. "Even that," Anthony said, meeting my eyes without any embarrassment.

"I'm holding you to that," Sebastian said quietly, leaning over and giving me a hug, and I knew the hard part was over. "You look better than yesterday, that's for damn sure."

"Thanks," I sighed, closing my eyes briefly and resting my head on his shoulder; Sebastian gave the best hugs. "At least I'm myself again. Sorry I didn't know who you were."

I felt Sebastian chuckle as Anthony burst out laughing. He let go of me and gave me a grin. "You were pretty convinced about it, too."

"Apparently you think Sam and Evie would be besties," Anthony added, laughing again.

"Sure - why not? They both save Cap's ass," I said with a wry grin. Sebastian lost it at that and had to get off the bed so he didn't jolt me with his laughter. "Did Sadie come with you guys?" I asked when they both finally quit laughing.

"You think I'd let them come alone?" Sadie said from the doorway. "Boys, you can come in and say hi to Megan."

Both teens came in looking around quickly before coming over to fist bump me. "Do you know who we are?" Isaac asked, blinking his pretty hazel eyes at me. "They said you had anesthesia."

" _Amnesia_ , Isaac," Liam corrected him. "She had amnesia from the anesthesia."

"Yeah, that's what they told me," I said, shaking my head. "I know who you are, Isaac. I heard I thought I was you yesterday, Sadie."

She shrugged and smiled. "Well, when you spend as much time on set and reading lines with us as you generally do, it could have been worse. I was a little disappointed I didn't get to find out who you thought _I_ was."

"That's probably a good thing," I sighed. "Bucky, sorry but it's not you, it's me. I want a divorce." I heard Sadie giggle as the boys looked at her in confusion. Anthony struggled to keep a straight face.

"You're divorcing me already?" Sebastian asked, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't even do anything stupid yet - like leave the toilet seat up!"

"Yeah, well, I don't like you like that, Baz," I smirked, rolling my eyes. "And you're surprisingly well housebroken - but I didn't expect any less."

"I know you don't, Roşu," he said with a wide grin. "Is there someone else?"

"Yeah, he's tall, patriotic-"

"I think I know just the guy," Anthony snickered, cutting in. "You sound more like yourself now."

"That's good," I said. "Although I don't remember _not_ being myself."

"I stopped to get us both a coffee while these two were getting everything out of their systems," Sadie said, handing me one as she sat on the bed beside me. "I'm really glad you're okay, Megan. Guys, can you give us a couple minutes?"

"Sure, doll," Sebastian said, kissing her cheek. "We'll take the boys down to the gift shop. Isaac wanted to get something for Megan since it's open now."

"No Legos," Sadie ordered in a firm tone, pointing one finger at Isaac. "I mean it, mister."

"Okaaayyy," he said, dancing his way out the door with Sebastian right behind him with an amused look on his face.

"I'm glad you're back to normal, Meg," Liam said before he turned to go. "Chris was really worried for a while there."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that one out for myself," I said, nodding. "See you in a little bit, Li." Anthony put his arm around Liam's shoulder and they were laughing as they walked out. I turned back to Sadie, slightly confused. "I thought Liam was Baz's buddy and Isaac was Chris'?"

"Normally I'd agree, but Liam, Sebastian, and Chris talked for quite a while last night before we went to Sebastian's. I guess my baby isn't a baby anymore - he understands a lot more than I thought he did."

"Yeah, he does," I nodded in agreement. Liam was pretty mature for his age and considered himself the man of the house now in a lot of ways.

"Speaking of kids - I understand it'll be possible for you to have them now," Sadie said quietly, meeting my eyes. I was surprised at the sheer joy I saw in her golden brown depths - I hadn't realized how much she wanted me to be able to have kids until now.

"It's not a given, but yeah. I haven't really thought about it much yet - it's like it's not _real_ yet."

"That's okay, honey - you've got time. I'm just glad you still have the option."

*       *

I watched out the window of the rental car on the way to the set in Scotland, amazed at the sheer size of it - it certainly made the New York one look tiny. Chris drove right up to the gate and we were through moments later.

Chris gave me a long, lingering kiss before sending me off with Josh, who'd met us at the parking lot so he could show me around. I needed to learn where to go and who to talk to at this set - every one was a little different.

"It's about time you got here," Josh said, giving me a side hug. "He wouldn't let you come on ahead today?"

"Nope. I may have gotten cleared to come back to work as long as I don't over do it, but I'm not supposed to lift more than 10 pounds yet - or drive. The flight here was a killer," I said with a grimace, putting a hand over my lower abdomen.

"I see," Josh said, clearly curious about the whole situation. "Walk and talk - you can fill me in along the way - we've got a lot of ground to cover. Please just tell me if it gets to be too much or Chris will kill me."

"I will," I promised, knowing he was serious.

We went to get shooting directions for the day. Josh and I were just walking into hair and makeup when someone scooped me up into their arms. My eyes were still adjusting to the change in lighting, but it only took me a moment to figure out who it was; his familiar cologne gave it away.

"Hey Baz!"

"Hey roomie! Miss me?" Sebastian said with a wide grin.

"You're all scruffy again," I complained as I rubbed my hands over his beard. He laughed as he set back me down and I turned around to give him a proper hug, inhaling deeply. "Of course I missed you, dork! Where's Mark?"

"Getting me more coffee. I gotta go put on the arm yet."

"Have fun with your lube," I teased him and he rolled his eyes at me. I'd watched the process once and I didn't know how he did it all the time – it was so weird and uncomfortable looking.

"You know it. Better keep going – Josh is looking kinda anxious."

"All right. See you later, Baz." I turned to follow Josh, giving him an apologetic smile. "Sorry – are we still good on time?"

"Yeah. First day back together is always like that for everyone. It's like you and Sadie were on a short holiday without them or something."

"Good to know," I said, following him on the narrow trail between everything. "It kinda felt like it too; like I got to skip school for a couple weeks just because."

I was glancing around wide eyed at everything going on and looking for Sadie, so I was startled when someone else gave me a hug from behind, their arms leaner than Sebastian's but still muscular. I tipped my head back to meet a pair of greenish blue eyes and smiled widely.

"You scared me!" I said as I shifted to put my arms around Tom Hiddleston's waist and hug him back. "I wasn't expecting to see you yet today."

"Sorry, darling," Tom replied with a sheepish grin, giving me a quick peck on the cheek before letting go of me. "It's so good to see you again. What do you think of the outfit?"

"It's something else," I said with a smile, taking a step back to look him over. I noticed the way people were looking at me and flushed; I wasn't used to being the center of attention. "Have you seen Sadie?"

He gestured in the opposite direction I'd been looking. "She's at the far end, next to my Chris. I must finish getting ready, but shall I see you later?"

"Of course. Have a good day!"

"I will, darling," Tom said, giving me a smile.

Sadie gave me an amused look when I reached her. "Looks like _someone_ was happy to see you. How's Tom?"

I flushed again, making Sadie laugh. "Tom's fine. Hello Chris - I think you're still taller than me even when you're sitting down."

Chris Hemsworth laughed loudly beside Sadie. "Hello again, Megan. The children have been asking for you. Do you think you could stop in and see them for a while?"

"I'd love to, Chris. I can't play with them yet, but I'll set up something with Elsa to at least visit for a bit."

"Excellent. You're recovering well?"

The make up artist indicated she needed Chris' attention and I nodded, shifting so I'd be in his line of sight to finish the conversation before I turned back to Sadie to run through her schedule with her briefly while she was getting the last of her makeup done. I looked around for my Chris, but I didn't see him - which didn't mean much considering how many people were in this area.

 

*               *                  *

Chris' POV

I watched Tom Hiddleston greeting Megan, having a completely unobstructed view from where I was sitting in the makeup chair; I followed her progress until she was near Sadie before losing sight of her. I was still a little concerned that this was going to be too much for her today since it was her first day back since her surgery, but she'd promised to take it easy for the rest of the week.

"I think everyone missed her almost as much as they missed Sadie," Josh said, handing me my coffee. "Hell, I even missed her and I only see her at work."

"Pretty sure Holland just got told to stay put," I said with a grin, having overheard part of the argument a couple chairs over. Tom'd been allowed up to greet Sadie but his makeup artist had put her foot down about Megan in order to get him done in time.

"He did," Vi said with a smile. "You're almost done, Chris. We'll have to keep an eye on your kanji again. It sure doesn't like to stay covered, does it?"

I gave her my best grin. "That's why they give me to you, Vi. I've already promised not to get any more ink until I'm done playing Cap."

She snorted, clearly not believing me. "At least your ink _means_ something," she said with a smile as she covered part of the tattoo on my clavicle that my shirt wasn't going to cover.

Most of the time wardrobe tried to make sure my clothes just covered my tats, but there were always a few shirts that didn't. I didn't really need to respond, this was an old conversation between me and Vi. She'd been with me since the first Captain America movie and was an old friend who wouldn't hesitate to tell me what she thought.

"Your little ginger sure is a cutie - and the pipes on that girl - hmm mmm mmm."

"Yeah, she is," I said with a smile. "You like her singing, Vi?"

"Sure do," she glanced up at me briefly. "I hear you're going to be doing another one of those Netflix movies with Sadie soon. Hold still, Chris."

I forced myself to settle down so she could finish up. "After we wrap in Scotland, yeah. You're gonna love it, Vi – it's one of those Nicholas Sparks kinda movies - a sappy, romantic, tearjerker."

"Really? I can't wait then; I love those movies – even if they always make me cry. That John Green – he's another one. Done – on with you, love."

"Thanks, Vi. See you later?" I asked as I stood up, hoping she was on touchups for me today. We were doing several action sequences and that meant more touchups than usual. Vi glanced at the assignment chart and clucked her tongue.

"Cassie's on touch-ups for you today. Try not to give the girl a heart attack?" she teased, patting me on the arm with a grin.

 _"Vi!"_ I groaned, knowing the young artist had a huge crush on me and tried to flirt with me the whole time. "Why you gotta be like this?"

"Because she's gotta learn somehow. I'll be keeping an eye on her, so it's not like I'm throwing you to the wolves or anything. On with you, boy - I've got work to do."

 

*      *         *

Megan's POV

I was feeling pretty good so far, so I followed Josh to the set to see what we were going to be working in today. It was outdoors action sequences for a while, so I'd be holding Sadie's coat during takes. Thankfully, I'd dressed warmer than usual in anticipation of that - she'd be moving around a lot but I wouldn't be.

By the time I sat down in Chris' chair to wait for everyone to be ready, I'd done more than enough walking and needed to rest. I hated not being able to do everything I normally did; I really thought I'd be fully recovered by now, but that wasn't the case.

I felt like the new kid in school all over again - everyone else had been here for several weeks and I was just now getting here. I'd wanted to come sooner, but my doctor had refused to allow me to travel internationally until I passed my four week checkup.

"Good to see you again, Ariel," Joe Russo said as he walked around, scoping out the set for the day's shooting. He'd found Chris' initial nickname for me hilarious and still used it when it was just a few people around. He was also one of the only people that I'd let get away with calling me that. "How are you feeling?"

"Good for the most part," I said, giving him a smile. "I feel like I need to catch up on my homework or something - there's a lot of new faces."

He laughed loudly. "That tends to happen." Anthony came up to him them and gave me a friendly wave before taking Joe's attention. Most of the cast - the ones that I knew already - stopped over to say hi before taking their places and see for themselves how I was. I was glad I'd put a little extra effort into my hair and makeup today because I took a lot of pictures with everyone.

"Megan! I heard you were finally back today," Emily said as she came to the set. "I've missed our gossip sessions." She leaned in to give me a hug, her light perfume washing over me.

"Me too, Em. Are you snogging my boyfriend again today?"

"Nope - at least I don't think so," she said with a giggle. "My fiancé asked me the same thing this morning - but he didn't say _snogging_."

"Did he come with you this time? I can't believe I still haven't met him yet!"

"Yup - you'll meet him at Tom Hiddleston's having a party this weekend if you convince Chris to take you."

"Great - drinkies it is - and I will do my best to get Chris to go," I said as she gave me a knowing look. "See you later, Em."

I knew Chris had found me when I felt his warm arms around me. "Hey baby," he said, kissing my cheek. "Are you feeling okay?"

I smiled up at him. "Yeah, just resting for a bit. That was a lot of walking."

"If it gets to be too much-"

I cut him off. Who knew he was such a worrier? "I know, Chris; We've been over this - I _do_ know how to take care of myself." He snorted but didn't comment. "So I hear Tom's throwing a party in a couple days," I hinted, relaxing into him.

"I told Tom I wasn't sure if we were coming because I didn't think you'd want to go," he said, walking around in front of me so he could see my face.

"I want to go for a little while," I said, brushing some fuzz off his uniform. "Get caught up and see everyone when they don't have to be focused on work, you know?"

"I was thinking about staying in bed all weekend," Chris replied, giving me that megawatt smile. "Make up for lost time?"

"Nice try," I teased. "Socialization is good for you, Evans. I've been cooped up for the past couple weeks and all y'all have been having fun here without me." I gave him a fake pout and he grinned, his thumb tracing my lower lip.

"I don't know about _fun_ ," he cupped my face. "But I've been stuck here without you and I've missed you like crazy."

He'd called, texted and sent me pictures almost constantly over the past couple weeks, letting me know that. "Kinda got that from everything you sent me, Ace - which explains the comments I got from Robert and Scarlett and -"

He cut me off with a quick kiss. "Yeah, yeah, _I know_!" he said in exasperation. "They weren't supposed to tell you any of that stuff."

"Were you really _that_ bad without me?"

"Maybe?"

I snorted, trying not to laugh because that still hurt. "Well, I'm here now."

"And I intend to make the most of it," he said as he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

"Seeing you in that tight outfit makes it hard for me to keep my hands off you," I said with a wicked grin. _"Captain."_

I knew that I was winding him up by telling him that, but I couldn't help it. Chris always looked good, but when he was all put together in his Captain America persona it was a huge turn on for me - even when he wasn't in the suit. It was a little weird not seeing his tattoos, though. I should have been able to see two of them for sure in that shirt he was wearing - if not more because it was so tight - I loved the schmedium shirts they always made Steve wear.

"Let's go, loverboy," Sebastian said, laughing as Chris flushed slightly and gave me another lightening fast kiss. "We've got work to do today."

*           *

I started feeling tired and achy by mid afternoon. I leaned back in my chair and tried to get comfortable but it was a lost cause. "Are you all right, darling?" Tom asked, touching my shoulder. He'd been chatting with me between takes as he waited for them to finish this scene to the directors' satisfaction.

"I think I need to go lay down," I admitted. I'd tried to ignore how cruddy I was feeling but it was only getting worse. I slid down from the tall chair to my feet, Tom steadying me as I swayed slightly. "I think I've done enough for the day; I'm still not at 100% yet."

"You did better than I thought," Josh said. "You want me or Mark to walk you to Chris' trailer?"

"I'll go with you, darling," Tom offered. "I'm not going to be needed for a while yet at this rate."

"You don't have to, Tom."

"It would give me much peace of mind to accompany you, Megan. Would you prefer to walk or be carried?"

"I can walk," I sighed as we left the set, my arm in his. I was afraid of what the gossip sites would say if they got a picture of Tom carrying me around like he wanted to. "It'll do me good to move around for a bit. Josh, will you tell Chris I went to go lay down for a while so he doesn't worry?"

"Yeah. I'll make sure Sadie knows, too," he said, nodding. "Hope you feel better, Meg."

"This doesn't have anything to do with Cassie's behavior, does it?" Tom asked in a quiet voice when we got a little further away from the set.

I knew what he was talking about: Chris' very attractive makeup artist had been blatantly flirting with him all day in front of everyone. She'd toned it down when Vi was watching, but otherwise she'd been awfully bold about it. I wasn't sure why Chris hadn't put a stop to it yet, though. Maybe he really hadn't missed me that much after all. I avoided answering that question because I didn't think this was a conversation I should have with Tom - it was one I needed to have with Chris.

"I'm starting to hurt - maybe I did too much earlier? That's a lot more walking than I've done in a while," I said instead. Tom gave me a long look but seemed to take that as an acceptable answer.

"You are looking a trifle peaky, darling."

"Translation?"

"Pale."

I giggled before I remembered laughing hurt. I had to stop walking to catch my breath again, Tom looking at me in concern. "I'm always pale, Tom - although I think I belong in Scotland - I can blend in here! I've never seen so many redheads before." I straightened up and indicated I was ready to continue.

He chuckled. "It means pale as in you look a little under the weather, darling."

"Then I agree," I said, giving him a pat on the arm. "I certainly _feel_ under the weather. Which way do we go?"

I let him lead me to where they'd parked the trailers, looking down to focus on my footing as I felt myself slip on one of the iced over puddles in our path. Tom caught me before I fell down but the rapid movement _hurt_ , and I instantly felt a sharp pain radiating out from my abdomen.

"Are you all right?" Tom asked me as I clung to his arm, almost doubling over while concentrating on my breathing, trying to fight through the worst of the pain.

"No," I gasped, trying to hold back tears.

"We're almost there," Tom said firmly. "I'm carrying you the rest of the way."

I didn't protest; all I wanted right now was to lay down and take my pain pills. I tucked my head into his neck, my hand holding tight to the lapel of his jacket. He had me at the steps shortly, carrying me like I weighed nothing.

"Let's get you sorted," he said, opening the door and carrying me inside and all the way back to the bedroom, laying me gently down on Chris' bed. I curled up into a ball on my side, putting my arms around my knees. "Are you feeling a little better, darling?"

He sat down beside me, brushing my hair back out of my face with a concerned expression.

"A little. I'm sorry I'm so much trouble," I said quietly, meeting his eyes.

"You're no trouble at all; I'm glad I could be of assistance."

"I'm very thankful you came with me, but you better head back, Tom. I don't want to be the reason for a filming delay."

He leaned over and kissed my forehead. "I'll text you later, all right?"

I nodded and closed my eyes, managing to hold back my tears until I heard him leave. It wasn't just that my body hurt - my heart hurt, too. I wasn't ready for things to be over with Chris, but I suppose no one ever really was ready for a breakup. My chest ached in a way that made it hard to breathe as I buried my face in the pillows that smelled like him and let myself cry it out.  
  
  
  


* * *

Chris' POV

By early afternoon, I could tell that Megan was getting fed up with the overly flirty way that my makeup artist, Cassie, was acting and to tell the truth, I was too. I felt that she was trying to give Megan the impression that I hadn't missed her over this past month when that couldn't be farther from the truth. We had minimal time between takes because we had so much we needed to get done this week, so I couldn't even go over and talk to her.

"Are you trying to get dumped?" Seb asked after another round of touchups had Cassie caressing my arm while she supposedly needed to re-cover my kanji. "Because if this goes on for much longer, that's exactly what's going to happen!"

"I know - but it's not like I'm doing anything to encourage her, Seb!" I said in frustration.

"I know you're not, punk - you're just too nice - but I'm pretty sure that's not what it looks like to Megan."

"What's up with your touch up girl?" Jeremy asked. "I've never seen her act like this before."

"I don't know but it's starting to really piss me off," I said.

"Well, don't look now but your girl's gone and she didn't look too thrilled about what she was seeing."

"Shit!" I groaned when I suddenly saw that my chair - the one that Megan had been using - was vacant. My mood didn't improve when I noticed that Tom was gone, too.

I had to wait until the next take was over to ask Josh where she'd went.

"She said she didn't feel good and wanted to go lay down. She was really pale, so Tom insisted on going with her."

"I'll go check on her when we get a break in a few," I said decisively. "Will you do me a favor and find Vi?"

"And ask her to assign someone else to you?"

I nodded, letting out a sigh. "I don't care how you word it, just make it happen."

He nodded. "Will do, Chris. Now go - it looks like they're ready for another take."

* *

Josh gave me a thumb's up when he came back to his spot a couple minutes later. At the next break, Samantha came up to me to do my touchups. She was one of my favorite makeup artists and I'd never been so happy to see her before.

"Hey, buddy," she said, opening a travel palate and taking out a brush. "That take looked really good."

"Thanks," I replied, holding still for her. "How's Mia?" Samantha's daughter was 4 and had gotten to come with this time since her dad was currently deployed.

Samantha snorted. "Active. She got into my costume makeup this morning somehow when I was in the shower - wanted to look like a princess, I think. Sparkly shit _everywhere_!"

I chuckled. "Which princess was she trying to be?"

"A grounded one," she said flatly. "She knows better, she really does...and speaking of knowing better, so does Cass. Sorry about that, Chris. I don't know what's got into her today."

"Me either. It's not like my relationship with Megan is a secret."

"It's not exactly common knowledge either, Chris. I'm done for now, hot stuff," Samantha said, shutting her compact. "Knock their socks."

"Will do. Thanks, Sam."

She nodded and left the scene quickly as I moved back into my starting position for the next scene.

"I see you've found a temporary solution to your problem," Tom said as he joined us.

"It would be better if it wasn't an issue to begin with," I replied. "How's Megan?"

"Tired, among other things."

"Why did she leave?"

" _She said_ she needed to lay down and that she'd overdid it," he said and I knew from the way he said it he was only relaying her words - he didn't actually believe them.

* *

Megan was fast asleep on my bed when I walked into my trailer a half hour later. I was so thankful to find her there. Part of me had been afraid that she'd be gone before I got here because my Megan hated confrontation.

I sat down beside her and brushed her hair back so I could see her face. I paused when I saw the tear tracks on her cheeks, guilt washing over me; I should have done something about Cassie sooner - before it got out of hand.

"Hey," Megan said quietly. I hadn't even noticed she'd woke up. "Have you been here long?"

"No, just got here a minute ago. I didn't mean to wake you up. Are you all right? Tom said you slipped on the way here."

"I did," she said, clearing her throat and rolling onto her back. "I tried to stop myself from falling and _damn_ it hurt to do that." She set her hands on her belly, wincing when she touched a tender spot. "He had to carry me the last little bit - I think I pulled a muscle or something."

"You're going in - _I mean_ \- you should go in for a scan tomorrow," I said, amending my sentence to be less of an order when she started giving me a look. "Just to make sure you didn't tear anything."

"I'm not going to argue," Megan said, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "It still aches like a wicked bitch. Are you guys done already? I didn't mean to fall asleep for that long."

I knew she was still getting over her jet lag. She'd gotten in last night and hadn't really reset her internal clock yet. "No, we just have a longer break right now. I'm sorry you had to see that today, baby."

She looked at me for a long moment before sitting up slowly. "It definitely wasn't on my list of favorite things, Chris. From where I was sitting, it looked like you didn't mind." She slipped on her shoes and stood up, keeping the bed between us as she studied me.

"At first it was just the normal stuff and I _didn't_ mind." I usually had a good relationship with my makeup artists and stylists. We could talk or goof around and it didn't mean anything. Today, though, something was different and I hadn't been comfortable with it. 

"If you've already replaced me I want to hear it from you, Chris." She crossed her arms over her chest, her stance defensive.

"I'm not replacing you, baby," I said firmly, and I wanted so badly to give her a kiss but her body language was telling me she didn't want me to touch her right now. I walked around the bed, not wanting anything between us, and stopped a short step away from her.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her eyes shiny.

"Positive."

"The way it looked to me was that you already had."

I put my arms around her, kissing her forehead. "Never, baby. I love you...no one else - only you." I held her until she started to uncross her arms and relax into me. "I had Vi reassign her for now. I don't want anyone trying to come between us."

She looked up at me, searching my eyes. "You did?"

"Yeah, I did. They gave me back Samantha." I could see the relief on her face when I told her that.

"Good."

"Will you come back to the set with me? You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Yeah, I'll go back now. Let me take my meds first and then I'll be ready. I guess I really needed that nap."

I kissed her lightly. "I'll wait for you; you don't have to rush."


	26. Interviews

Megan's POV

"Sadie - you're never gonna guess who I met today in Edinburg!" I said as I took off my coat in Sebastian's trailer and hung it up.

"Who?" she asked distractedly. "Prince William or Prince Harry?"

"Not a _royal_ ," I laughed. "Guess again!"

She set her phone down and thought for a minute tapping her finger against her chin. "That British singer... whatshisname...Ed Sheeran?"

"Bingo!"

Sadie looked surprised. "How on earth did you manage to meet him?"

"I walked into him on my way out of the doctor's office," I admitted, flushing again.

"Like you didn't see him ran smack into him kind of run into or the 'hey - are you Ed Sheeran' kind of run into?" Sadie asked, giving me the benefit of the doubt. Honestly I think she was just trying to make me feel better about my klutziness.

"The first," I sighed, sitting down at the table across from her and reaching for my coffee cup. "It's always the first one with me. Dropped my phone and my headphones came unplugged and _Tequila_ by Dan + Shay started blaring. It was _epic_."

Epically embarrassing - if there was someone cool, gorgeous, or famous I was going to manage to meet them in the most embarrassing way possible - just like I had with Chris and Tom and now Ed.

"What did the doctor say?" Sadie asked worriedly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Just that I'm supposed to take it easy for a couple more days, avoid stairs whenever possible, and absolutely no lifting anything heavier than my purse."

"Everything else looked good?" Her eyes swept over me, concern in their golden brown depths.

"Yeah, a couple very minor separations on the biggest seam but nothing that won't resolve itself with time. Good thing I brought my medical file on a flash drive - thanks for the idea, boss."

"Can't hurt to be prepared," Sadie said, looking relieved. "I'm glad you're okay. Tom was really worried - you should text him later since he's not here today." I nodded, already having thought of that. Sadie took a long drink of her coffee and smiled at me. "Now tell me all about Ed."

"He wants me to come into the studio this weekend and record a couple songs with him. He's going to text me pictures of the sheet music so I can practice!"

"That's great, Megan! He knew who you were?"

"Yeah - surprised the hell out of me. Turns out he's friends with Shawn and he said nice things about me to Ed. He's been enjoying the Roomie Chronicles - one of his friends that knows Tom showed it to him."

Sadie laughed. "Who doesn't enjoy your Chronicles? They're hilarious - and if I wasn't there for half of them I probably wouldn't have believed how accident prone you are."

"I did NOT break a shoe this time."

Sadie looked down at my feet and laughed. "You're wearing flats, honey."

"I know. That's the safest kind of shoe for me right now."

"Very true. I can't wait to hear the songs! You better call Chris and let him know - this could be huge for you, Meg."

"I know, I know! He's such a cool, down to earth guy, too."

"What was he doing here in Edinburg?" Sadie asked. "I thought I heard somewhere that he lives in London now."

"He said he was going to meet up with a friend for breakfast before they had to leave for a stag party - isn't that like a bachelor party?"

"Yes."

"I thought so but I wasn't sure. He said he felt bad for knocking me over and invited me along. Haggis is really gross, by the way."

"I can't believe you tried it," Sadie said, making a face. "I don't even want to try it."

"His friend gave me a bite and laughed at the faces I made. I think he was a little surprised Ed found an American here."

"Especially one that looks like she belongs here," Sadie grinned, indicating my hair. "So have you decided what you're going to do after Comic-Con when I go home for a month?"

"Not really. Chris wants me to go with him to Atlanta but I need to spend some time in New York. I've got a couple songs the label wants me to record soon and I'd really like to practice them with the band _before_ we record. Studio time isn't cheap."

"No reason you can't do both. You ready to head to the set?" Sadie asked, glancing at her phone.

"Yup - is it that time already?"

"Close enough."

My phone rang then and I looked down to see who it was. I gave Sadie a puzzled look as I answered. "Hey Luke - what's up?"

"Are you sitting down?"

"Yup. Spit it out, Windsor. It can't be _that_ bad."  
  


 

*    *     *

Chris' POV

"Thank you, Susan." I said politely, trying to butter her up.

"I'm only looking out for you, Chris," Susan said with a sigh. "You know that, right?"

"I know you are. You've been begging me for at least a month to do some interviews - looks like you'll finally get your way."

"You make it sound like I'm trying to torture you with them. You're the one who got one reporter drunk and took another sky diving."

"That was pretty fun," I laughed, remembering those interviews well. "Edith was great. Is she doing my interview again?"

"I'm not sure. FYI - no sky diving - you're just lucky you didn't get hurt."

" _Susan_."

"At least this one isn't just trying to use you to further her own career."

" _Susan_ ," I sighed. My publicist did a great job - she just wasn't a fan of some of my earlier ex's. "She was my co-star."

"I've looked into Megan since you sounded kind of serious about her and she's got a good reputation on the set and is getting some positive buzz in the music scene. Word in the office is that she's slated to release an album in the next six months."

"Let me know what you get lined up as soon as you know about it. I have to be going on set in a couple minutes."

"I'll be in touch," she promised. "Bye, Chris."

"Bye."

I was relieved that my publicist was finally on board with my relationship with Megan. After yesterday, I'd decided that I _wanted_ to make our relationship public so shit like that wouldn't happen again. Now I had a week to convince Megan to do an interview with me for some major magazine or website.

I'd no sooner stepped out of my trailer to make the trek to where we were filming today when my phone rang again. I glanced at the screen and hit accept. I must be later than I thought if someone had been told to call me.

"Hey Tom. I'm on my way now - just leaving my trailer."

He didn't make any of his normal responses, which made me pay a little closer attention. "I'm not on set today, Chris. I was hoping to catch you before you were."

"What's up? You sound...upset."

He sighed. "Photos got out of me carrying Megan yesterday and they don't make it look like anything innocent."

"Fuck!" I ground out, my good mood doing a 180.

"Precisely," Tom said in a clipped tone. He was just as pissed. "Luke called me earlier this morning to let me know they're running a behind the scenes piece in all the gossip columns they can get to buy the pictures. They've got a couple of you and Cassie, too."

I have no idea what expression was on my face but people were melting out of my way and not even attempting to say hello to me. "This just keeps getting better and better," I spit out. "Who took them?"

"I don't have a name yet but it was someone who was on set yesterday - and close enough that you can see exactly who we are."

"I'll have Josh call Susan and she and Luke can work something out - mention she turned an ankle or something, maybe."

"That's kind of what I was thinking," he said. "Megan's ringing me right now - how much should I tell her?"

"Everything," I replied. "I'll talk to her in a few."

"All right," Tom said before hanging up.

I looked around for my PA; Josh was already there, typing quickly on his phone with a frown on his face.

"Does Susan know about the pictures?"

"She does now and she's pissed. How'd you find out? I was just getting ready to tell you."

"Tom called me a minute ago. Is Megan back from the doctor's yet?"

"Yeah, she's with Sadie over talking to Robert and Seb," he jerked a thumb in their direction before going back to typing. "Luke told her; she didn't look very happy about it."

I steered him over to the group with a hand on his back. "I'm not very happy about it either. Who took them?"

"Someone who's not here anymore," Josh said absently. He finished typing as we reached the others.

"Hey, baby," I said, kissing Megan's cheek, letting her finish her sentence to Sebastian as I put my arms around her.

"Hey," she replied, putting her small hands on my forearms.

"Sorry - I just found out a couple minutes ago."

"I think I've got a plan," she said, twisting slightly to look up at me. "Do you still have that photo you took of me looking in the mirror at my scar last night?"

"Yeah," I admitted. It was a great picture I'd taken of her in her sleep shorts and tank top looking at her scar in the large mirror in the closet door of our hotel room. "I know you told me to delete it but I just couldn't."

"Airdrop it to me. I need to post it _before_ they release the other pictures."

I pulled out my phone and did as she asked, seeing where she was going with this. I was just thankful she wasn't mad at me for making the situation worse. Just the picture of Tom carrying Megan would raise a couple eyebrows given their previous public appearances, but her well-known klutziness could explain that depending on the picture. There were already pictures of me, Scott, Sebastian and now Tom carrying her, so it wasn't really a new thing.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Put that picture on Twitter and show me what you write before you post it," she ordered. "Sadie's going to post something making fun of you flirting with your makeup artists."

I gave Sadie a look but she only smiled. "You do, babe. You don't even know you're doing it. I've taken pictures more than once of that."

I let go of Megan to start doing what she asked, putting the picture up and typing a quick caption. Something sweet and heartfelt that left no doubt about how I regarded her.

"The rest of us need to start reporting in. We'll comment, share and like as needed," Robert added. "I have to say, Red, you're taking this better than I thought you would."

"Thanks, Robert," Megan said looking up at him. "I've learned a few things over the past couple months, believe it or not. When you guys are as famous as you are, things like this are only to be expected. Luke doesn't think we can ignore it because their whole focus is making it look bad for Chris and Tom while throwing shade at my reputation."

"Very true. This isn't one of the times you can just ignore it - especially if you're going public with your relationship with Capsicle."

"Tony!" Megan said, sticking her tongue out at him.

He laughed, patting her face. "I couldn't resist, Red. Let's move it, people. Joe's giving us the look already."

I handed Megan my phone, giving her a quick kiss. "Love you, baby."

"I know you do," she grinned. "Now let me finish doing damage control."

I decided I'd better wait to tell her about the interview I was having Susan schedule...she had enough to deal with right now.

 

*        *          *

Megan's POV

I looked at Chris' phone to see what he wrote and smiled to myself. _Love you - and no, I don't think you need a tattoo to cover up your scar, baby. You're perfectly imperfect and that makes you so beautiful to me. I'm sorry yesterday was so hard on you and I hope you feel better today._

I posted it as he'd wrote it - there was no need for me to change a single word; he couldn't have said it any better. Just when I thought I couldn't love him any more he'd do something like this. I was just floored - this man was always so good to me. I blinked rapidly, feeling the sting of tears starting at the corner of my eyes.

"Look at this," I said to Josh, handing him Chris' phone.

"Wow -that's a really great picture," he said. "I didn't know your scar was that big."

"Does it look bad?" I asked anxiously. "It's not really red or yucky anymore."

"No - it looks really good for only a couple weeks. My sister's C-section scar looked a lot worse than that."

I looked at the picture again. "Yeah, it does kind of looks like that. Are we going to have to deal with pregnancy rumors now?"

"No - it's pretty obvious you weren't," Josh said. "There's a lot of pictures of you on tour and you've put up a couple of you in different outfits over the past month, so no. That's really nice what he wrote, too."

"I'd have an answer prepared when fans ask you about it, though," Sadie handed me her phone, giving me a reassuring smile. "You know they will. Look at what I posted on Instagram and you can decide what you need to do from there."

"Good idea. I'll start working on my post."

I went over and sat in Chris' chair with Josh standing beside me. I took the same picture and turned it grayscale through a filter, flipped it and added a short explanation: _It's been four weeks since I was taken in for emergency abdominal surgery in Atlanta. Nothing to worry about - no cancer - just some really bad luck on my part. Recovery has been painful and I'm just finally getting back to feeling normal. Christopher, thank you so much for being there for me every step of the way - you are my rock and I love you so much. I'm so thankful to have you in my life. Photo cred: Chris._

_PS - I'm still going to get the ink._

 

I ran one of the pictures of Tom carrying me that Luke had sent to me through various filters until I found one I liked. I finished editing it and posted it on Instagram, tagging Tom in it.

@twhiddleston: Tom, thank you so much for looking out for me! I know you play a great villain but you're also one of the sweetest guys I know - certainly hero material to me. I might have slightly overdone it yesterday (I'm not used to having walking restrictions) so thanks again for the lift.

I smiled when Tom commented quickly: You're welcome, darling! Hope you're feeling better today.

I struggled not to laugh when Sebastian posted a picture of me in Chris' chair. I looked as small as I felt - it was made for someone Chris' size, after all. I just giggled at his comment because it was so classically Sebastian: You better stay in that chair today, roomie. Don't make me find the duct tape.

@imsebastianstan: Get to work Bucky - don't you have a world to save?

 

 

*      *            *

Chris' POV

"Sebastian, why on earth were you carrying my girlfriend through Comic-Con?" I asked when he came back over for the panel they were going to be starting any time now.

"How'd you find out so fast?" he asked, looking at me in astonishment. "I literally just set her down a couple minutes ago and came right here. I thought my handler was going to have kittens if I was late."

"Mackie," I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. "He texted me a picture as you went by his booth."

Seb shrugged. "She rolled her ankle pretty bad when her shoe broke and we weren't going to leave her behind."

Of course that would happen to her; she had the worst luck with shoes lately. "Is she all right?"

"Yeah, it's just a little sore," he explained, patting me on the back. "One of the workers is finding her some ice for it. If she can't walk on it by lunch time we'll make her get it checked out. I'm pretty sure she added it to the Chronicles already - she thought it was funny."

I was very thankful Megan had a good sense of humor about her horrible luck. "Seb, you do realize I only got Instagram to see what you guys post, right?"

"It's about damn time you did old man," he said with a smirk. "Now you can't say Megan keeps things from you."

I scowled at him. "Just because she _thought_ she told me something doesn't mean she  actually told me!"

Sebastian shrugged noncommittally. "She's female, punk. No matter what, you're gonna be wrong." He looked at me consideringly for a moment. "Are you grumpy because she got hurt again or because she didn't tell you?"

"Both," I sighed.

"Thought so," he remarked as his smirk widened.

They were calling his name now so he turned to walk up on the panel stage, waving to his fans. I sighed and put on my public persona; worrying about my accident prone girlfriend would have to wait until I had some free time again, which wouldn't be for a couple hours.

* *

"You did great today, Chris," Megan said, smiling up at me. "I loved the panel."

"It was better, having you there today," I said, taking her hand in mine as we walked back into the hotel, cameras flashing around us.

We'd had to have extra security in place since a lot of us were at this Comic-Con for the release of the newest Marvel trailer - which looked awesome. Megan wasn't an unknown anymore and had attracted her fair share of fans already, which meant she hadn't been able to move around and blend into the crowds like Mark and Josh could. She'd stayed close to Sadie today, a little unnerved by the amount of people that wanted her picture or autograph too.

"I agree," Sadie said from my other side. "You didn't have a single episode today."

"I didn't," I realized. "How's your ankle, baby?"

"A little stiff, but I'll be fine by tomorrow. I can't believe my boot heel broke," Megan grumped. "Those were my favorite ones, too!"

"Are you ready for your interview?" Sadie asked her with a grin as we waited for the elevator. "Remember to tell her I'm a fire-breathing dragon for a boss."

My publicist had set up the interview I'd asked her for a week ago with _People_ magazine after the last panel today. The reporter was meeting us at our hotel; it'd taken a fair amount of convincing for Megan to agree to it. She was okay with the public knowing about our relationship, but this was really making it official, in a manner of speaking.

Megan gave Sadie an amused look. "Because you're so terrifying or because Isaac wanted me to say that?" To say that her youngest son marched to his own beat was putting it mildly.

"Do you even need to ask?" Sadie said, rolling her eyes. "He was watching _The Lord of the Rings_ movies again and is back in his dragon obsession."

"Just checking. Did you lose a bet?" Megan asked, raising an eyebrow. "I told you not to bet against him on sports things. That kid knows his sh-stuff."

"Maybe? I still don't think I lost, though."

"She lost," I told Megan as Sadie rolled her eyes. "You did, Sadie! Liam and Isaac told me all about it yesterday."

"Fine," Sadie sighed. "I lost. Happy?"

"I suppose. Are you both sure just making it Facebook official isn't enough? Because I'm good with that," Megan said nervously.

"No," Sadie and I chorused.

"Jinx - you owe me a pop!" Sadie said before I could and I groaned theatrically before snapping my fingers and changing my expression to ecstatic. "You still have to do the interview, Chris."

"Damn it, Sadie - you always ruin my plans."

She had zero sympathy for me. "It was your idea, babe. You want off the market - you play by the rules."

I held the door to my room for them as we reached it. "When are you gonna make an honest man of Seb?" I asked with a wide grin, knowing that would get a reaction out of her.

"Don't go putting ideas in his head," Sadie said, swatting my arm with her hand as she passed. "It's still too soon for that."

"Guess what?" I said, looking for the box I'd asked Josh to put in here for me earlier. I finally saw it sitting next to the TV.

"Chicken butt."

I burst out laughing, not expecting to hear that from a grown woman. "Sadie!"

"What were you going to say?" she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes at me. I handed her the white bakery box. "What's this for?"

"Happy Friend-iversary, doll. I've officially known you for a year now."

"I think I should probably count this past year in dog years," Sadie said with a sigh as Megan tried to stifle a giggle. "It feels like I've known you longer than just a year."

"It was a very eventful year," I agreed. "But I wouldn't change a thing. Meeting you was one of the best things that's ever happened to me, Sadie. I can't even begin to imagine what my life would be like right now without you."

She set the box on the nearest flat surface and pulled me in for a hug. "Ditto, Chris. You're determined to make me cry, aren't you?" Sadie said as her voice broke.

"Only happy tears, doll," I said, kissing her cheek. "Love you."

"Love you too, babe," she said, burying her face in my neck and chuckling. "I can't believe you got me a cake!"

"It's pretty good cake, too." Megan said and we both looked over to see her daintily eating a chocolate cupcake with a ton of frosting. "What? I told Josh I'd cover for him next week if he got me cupcakes while he was at the bakery. I was having a major chocolate craving."

"Where did you hide those?" I asked, letting go of Sadie when she patted my chest firmly. "I didn't see them earlier."

Megan gave me a knowing grin and moved her cupcake out of my reach. "In the fridge - behind my juice that you hate. I knew you wouldn't look there."

"Because it tastes like moldy grass!" I said. "Guess you're going to have to find a new hiding spot, baby."

"Or I could keep them in my own fridge in my own room-" she said, raising an eyebrow when I cut her off.

"Nope. You belong right here with me," I insisted firmly. "None of this separate room talk." A knock at the door had me realizing I'd lost track of time already. "Coming!" I said as I walked over and glimpsed through the peephole to see someone familiar - a former girlfriend turned journalist and what I assumed was her current photographer. I opened the door and gestured for them to come in.

"Hi Cheryl."

"Hello again, Chris," she said with a sultry smile, putting a manicured hand on my arm and kissing my cheek. "It's been a while."

Her perfume was still the same, but instead of turning me on, it only choked me now. Time hadn't been kind to her... or maybe my memory was faulty. She wore way too much makeup and her colorist really should have talked her out of that particular shade of brassy blonde that only looked good on '90s hair color models.

I took a step back to regain my personal space, shutting the door behind them. "Yeah, it has. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting _People_ to send you."

"You're always honest," she quipped, eyeing me in a way that made me nervous. "Who better to gauge the reality of this relationship than someone who knows you as well as I do?"

"Did," I corrected. "I'm not the same guy I was back then, Cheryl. That was a long time ago. Come meet my Megan - you're gunna love her."  
  
  


*      *      *

Megan's POV

"Nice to meet you," I said, waving slightly and showing the reporter my dirty hands. "I'm going to go wash the frosting off my hands and I'll be right back."

"Take your time," Cheryl replied, her eyes wandering to Chris.

 _Not gonna happen_ , I thought to myself. I washed quickly and double-checked my hair and makeup, glad Sadie had insisted I glam myself up for Comic-Con today. Thankfully, Sadie had waited to leave until I was back, keeping Chris from being alone with the reporter. 

"Don't forget, we have reservations for 9," I said, walking with Sadie to the door as the photographer set his stuff up. "We'll meet you there."

"Thanks, Megan; I'd forgotten with everything that was going on. What would I do without you?"

"You did fine before me," I said, rolling my eyes. "I just make your life a little easier."

Sadie lowered her voice. "Yes, you do. See you there - _and relax_ \- let her see the real you." She squeezed my hand lightly, giving me a reassuring smile.

"I'll try," I promised.

* *

"That went better than I thought it was going to," I told Chris after he showed the reporter and photographer out.

He sat down on the couch beside me and pulled me into his lap, kissing me deeply. "Yeah, it did," he murmured as he kissed down my neck. "I'm so glad it's over - I _hate_ doing interviews. You still taste like chocolate, baby. Mmmm."

"So you have some kind of history with her?"

"You caught that, huh?"

I slid off his lap and gave him a look, arching an eyebrow. "Kind of hard to miss the way she was dropping hints. Ready to get changed so we can go meet Sadie and Baz? I'm starving - one little cupcake wasn't enough to tide me over."

I walked into the bedroom to change into my dress only to be pulled into Chris' arms. I tilted my face up for a kiss, meeting his heated gaze.

"I thought you looked like you needed a little help getting out of that outfit," he said, undoing the buttons of my blouse and cupping my breasts in his large hands, teasing my nipples as he kneaded them.

"We have to be downstairs in 20 minutes," I said, playing along and freeing him of his button-up. "Fully dressed _and_ in the car."

"Challenge accepted," he murmured against my lips, having already almost stripped me.

I shoved his jeans and boxers off his hips in one smooth motion, stepping back so he could get them off. Instead, he sat down, pulling me closer, kissing down my belly and over my scars. I was glad he'd finally shaved his beard off so it didn't tickle my skin; I thought he was so much more handsome without it. It was still weird seeing him blond, though - I still wasn't used to that.

I gasped as he took me in his mouth, burying my fingers in his thick hair. I let him tease me until I couldn't take it anymore, my legs shaking with pleasure.

"I need you in me, Chris," I panted, trying to focus.

He pulled me down onto his lap, kissing up me until he claimed my lips as I straddled him, his arms wrapping around me.

"Condom?" I reminded him before we got carried away.

He fished in his pants for a moment before putting a packet in my hand. I quickly opened it and rolled the condom over his hard cock. I sank down on him slowly, giving myself time to get used to his girth again. I felt him gasp in pleasure against my lips, making me smile.

"You feel so good, baby," he groaned, pulling me closer. "God, I love you."

"Love you," I gasped as he started to move, quickly bringing us both to completion. I rested my head on his shoulder, my arms still around his neck. "I don't want to move."

"Me either," he said, kissing me again. "But we have to. Upsy-daisy." He helped me stand, laughing at the face I made as he pulled out of me.

"That feels so weird," I complained. I glanced at the clock and dashed into the bathroom. "Shit! Seven minutes, Ace."

"You're killing me, baby," he complained, pulling his shoes off so he could finish changing.

"You started it!" I laughed, putting on a little more body spray and touching up my hair and makeup. I hadn't let Chris touch it so it was still mostly in place. "And this was _your_ idea, remember?"

"It was Seb's," he clarified as he kissed my shoulder, finishing zipping up my dress for me. "I can't wait to peel this off you later," he murmured, his lips lingered on my skin. "You look so good, baby."

"Get moving, Romeo. You're not even dressed yet!"

"I will be by time we get downstairs," he promised, giving me one last kiss before rushing to the closet.

He pulled on a white dress shirt and I helped him button it up. He walked into the bathroom to fix his hair as I grabbed my purse and slipped on my shoes, taking his suit jacket with me and walking to the elevator. He came running out a minute later, just as the elevator opened. By the time we made the lobby, he was presentable. Who was I kidding? He looked great, like always.

"Look - a minute to spare!" he laughed, taking my hand.

 


	27. Intruder

Megan's POV

About halfway through the night I woke up feeling cold so I rolled over closer to Chris, seeking his warmth. I was a little surprised when I couldn't even get close to him, quickly realizing something was wrong when I put my arm around him.

"Chris?" I turned on the lamp beside the bed to see him shivering violently, cocooned in all the blankets. "Are you sick?"

He nodded once, not opening his eyes. "Yeah," he croaked. "S-s-sorry ab-bout t-this."

"It's not your fault you're sick. Do you think it was something you ate?"

"N-n-no. I'm j-j-just so c-c-cold," he managed to get out through his chattering teeth.

I reached over and touched his damp, clammy forehead, alarmed at how warm he was. He was definitely sick - he was sweating like he'd just got done with an intense workout but was still cold.

"I'm going to see if they have an on-call doctor here, Chris." A lot of times fancy hotels like the one we were at either had a doctor on staff or a contract with a local physician that would come directly to the room. "Why don't you go take a hot shower to see if you can get warm that way?"

He nodded, clearly miserable but slowly got up and made his way to the bathroom. I dialed the concierge and sure enough, they had a doctor in residence that would be by shortly. I found something to wear and slipped on my robe while I waited. 

* *

"Thank you again for coming so quickly," I said as I saw the doctor out a short while later.

"You're welcome, Ms Jones. A delivery person should be by with those prescriptions shortly. Please feel free to call if his condition doesn't improve in 24 hours."

"I'll keep that in mind," I said, taking the card from him with his direct line information. It was official - Chris had the flu. By the time the doctor had gotten here he'd been praying to the porcelain god and was camping on the cold tiled bathroom floor.

I decided I'd better text Josh so he could deal with arrangements. Chris was supposed to be back at Comic-Con again tomorrow for the last day of panels but I highly doubted that was going to happen even if he felt better.

I called room service and had them send up some crackers and a couple of several classic sick day drinks: Gatorade, ginger ale and 7 Up. I wasn't sure what he preferred when he was sick so I figured I better get some of all of them. I attempted to get Chris back to bed, having to verbally coax him since there was no way I could help him physically and he was worried I'd hurt myself. I finally managed it, putting a plastic lined trash can on the floor next to him just as both room service and his medicine arrived. 

* *

"Hey babe, I've got your medicine." Chris gave me a grumpy face and clamped his mouth shut. Dealing with sick Chris really wasn't a walk in the park, more like dealing with a cranky toddler, actually - which meant I was at least prepared for stubborn defiance. "This one you don't have to swallow. It goes under your tongue and dissolves; it will help make it so you don't feel like you need to throw up."

He looked at me for a moment, weighing his options. I held up the Zofran tablet so he could see it and he finally opened his mouth so I could put the little tablet under his tongue.

"See, that wasn't so bad. It usually tastes kind of like cherries." Chris nodded in agreement. "When you feel like you want a drink and it'll stay down, I need you to take your Tamiflu." He stared at me dully, a mulish set to his jaw. "It's a small little capsule and it'll make you feel better faster if you take it. Do you want ginger ale, 7 Up or yellow Gatorade?"

"7 Up," he said in a hoarse voice.

"Okay," I nodded and went to pour a little in a plastic cup for him, not trusting him with the whole can yet because he was still shaking a bit. It took about 10 minutes before he was ready, but he managed to get it down.

"Do you want me to turn off the lights and let you go back to sleep?"

He nodded, setting the empty glass on the nightstand beside him. I stood up and turned off the lights, making sure he was covered up before grabbing a spare blanket and laying down on the other side of the bed, certain it was going to be a long night for both of us.

"Can I hold you?" he asked after a couple minutes. "I'm just so _cold_."

"Yeah," I said, shifting closer to him.

I'd already accepted that I was probably going to be getting sick myself about the time he started feeling better, so more contact with him wouldn't make a difference at this point. He un-cocooned enough that I could touch him and he pulled me close, putting his bare feet on my legs for a change and wrapping himself around me. Slowly the shaking subsided and he fell into a fitful sleep.

At least Sadie didn't actually need me tomorrow...today... actually; she had a handler of her own for the whole Comic-con. I was mostly just here to keep Chris company and help him keep calm. I'd never seen his anxiety so bad before but Sadie said it got worse the longer they were on press tours.

 

*           *           *

Chris' POV

I slapped at my phone to turn the alarm off, feeling like I had just finally fallen asleep; I almost felt worse than when I'd fallen asleep. I looked over to see the bed was empty beside me but I could hear the shower, so I knew Megan was still here. Blearily, I looked at my phone and saw I had a text from Josh. Megan must have contacted him already to tell him I was sick.

I called him and he answered on the first ring. "Hey man."

"You sound like shit. How are you feeling today?"

"Like I got hit by a bus. Tell everyone I'm sorry but I probably won't make it today. Call me before the big panel and maybe I'll feel good enough to try to make that one."

"If you're sick, stay put and don't worry about the Con. You don't need to get everyone sick."

"10-4," I said. "I'm going back to sleep now. Thanks pal."

"No problem. Feel better soon, boss."

"God I hope so. This is worse than that time I had food poisoning - remember the soup?"

"I remember - that was bad, dude. Tell Megan to call me if you need anything."

"You got it," I said, ending the call. I gave her a weak smile when she walked back into the bedroom.

"You're not going anywhere, mister," Megan said after a glance at me.  "You look like death warmed over and you don't need to get everyone else sick too. I'll get your medicine for you. Do you want something to drink?"

"Gatorade," I decided, sitting up slowly a little bit at a time. I was pretty sure that was one of the choices last night. "I think I want to try eating something. My empty stomach is not loving me."

I watched as she got dressed, pulling on lounging around clothes. I was relieved she wasn't going to be leaving me. "I had some crackers sent up with the drinks."

"Saltines?"

"Of course. You can try those first; if you keep them down we'll see about something else."

I nodded before deciding that wasn't a smart thing to do. It felt like I had the worst hangover ever the way my head was starting to pound. "Do you have any Tylenol? I have a bitch of a headache."

"Yeah - 500mg rapid release. How many you want?"

"Three."

She set three capsules in my hand along with an open bottle of Gatorade. I finished half the bottle, sipping it slowly after I got the pills down. "Slowly," Megan said as she handed me a packet of saltines and walked back into the bathroom to finish getting ready.

"Stay with me today?" I asked when she came out to check on me again.

"Yeah, that's the plan. I told Sadie what happened last night and she told me to stay with you since I've already been exposed. I'm going to order myself some breakfast and then we can just watch movies if you want."

"Sounds great. Disney?"

"Of course. Think you can get Movies Anywhere up on the TV while I order room service?" She handed me the remote and I tried to smile.

"Yeah."

"Do you want anything else?"

"More crackers?"

"I can do that, or did you want some dry toast or an English muffin?"

"Buttered toast?" I asked hopefully. That sounded really good, actually.

"Sure, babe. White or wheat?"

"White. It's what we always had growing up."

"Me too. I don't even care if wheat's healthier when I'm sick."

By the time I finished nibbling on my crackers I was freezing again and I was trying to convince myself that I wasn't going to throw up again. Megan noticed the change.

"Do you  want some Zofran or do you want to throw up? It's up to you, Chris."

"Zofran," I decided. There was nothing in my stomach anyways other than my medicine and I really wanted to keep that down.

"Open," she said, putting a tablet under my tongue. "There's a garbage can next to the bed if you feel like you're going to puke. I'll be right back."

I closed my eyes, listening as she moved around the suite. First I heard her running water in the bathroom and then I heard her talking on the phone in the sitting room.

"How are you feeling?" she asked when she came back in, setting a cool hand on my forehead.

"That feels good," I said. "I'm really hot."

She muffled a laugh. "Yeah, you sure are _Johnny_ ," she teased, making me smile. "You've still got a bit of a fever. Do you want me to take some of the blankets off you?"

"Pwease?" I begged, trying to free myself of my cocoon, the damp sheet sticking to my skin. I'd sweated a lot more than I thought I had. I made a face a she peeled the sheet off me. "I think I want to take a shower. That's gross."

"Take your time. I'm going to see if there's a maid in the hallway and get some fresh sheets and blankets."

 

*          *            *

Megan's POV

I'd never been so happy to be home before. I walked into the apartment I shared with Sebastian and kicked off my shoes before rolling my suitcase into the laundry room to unload it. I was here by myself for the time being; Sebastian wouldn't be back for a couple days yet.

After the washer was running, I went to check the landline to see if there were any important messages. There was one from a couple days ago that gave me a moment's pause.

"Hey Sebby, it's Macy! I must have either lost your cell number or entered it into my phone wrong - silly me! I'm going to be in town next week for a while and hoped that we could get together for drinks or something. My number is still 555-5555. Bye!"

I decided to text Sebastian: _There's a msg from a_ _Macy on the machine._ _She's going to be in town_ _next week and wants to_ _meet up with you. Did_ _you need her number?_

My phone rang a moment later - Sebastian. Puzzled, I answered. "Hey Baz. What's up?"

"Hey Roşu - glad to hear you made it home."

"Like 10 minutes ago. It was a little weird coming home to an empty place. Did you want me to play the message for you?"

"No - delete it; Macy's one of my ex's. I had to block her number after we broke up because she refused to believe we were through. Whatever you do, don't let her in if she comes by. I don't think she knows where I live now but I just want to be sure you're safe."

"What does she look like?"

"I'll send you a picture, just promise me you won't let her in no matter what."

Sebastian sounded really concerned and he wasn't the kind of guy that got worked up over nothing. "I get it - _Stranger Danger_. Is there something about her that you're not telling me, Baz?"

"You remember that dream I told you about when we were moving you in?" Sebastian asked hesitantly.

"Yeah - the one you had right before you met Sadie?" It kinda stuck with me, what we'd talked about that day.

"Well, Macy was also in it and she did something...bad. I can't remember _what_ she did; I just remember being so _angry_ at her - absolutely livid - like I wanted to kill her - I was that angry. I just wish I could remember."

"So she's psycho?" I asked, deciding that was what he was getting at.

"I wouldn't put it past her. It's been almost 5 years since we've been together and I still think she's the reason things didn't work out with Margarita."

"So you've known her for quite a while."

"Long before I met Sadie," Sebastian agreed. "She used to leave really bitchy comments on Sadie's Insta until she blocked Macy. Whatever you do, DON'T talk to her."

"What would she say to me? I'm just your roomie, Baz."

"I don't know, Roşu. Just be careful, okay? I've got a bad feeling about her."

"When're you coming home?" I asked quietly.

"I'll be back on Tuesday. Promise me you'll be careful and lock both locks until I get there."

"I'll be careful," I promised. "See you next week."  
  


 

*            *             *

Chris' POV

"What's wrong?" I asked Sebastian when he ended his call.

"Megan said that Macy left a message on my machine."

I winced, knowing how damning some of her messages could be. "Bad?"

"No worse than usual," he sighed. "Call me - I want to see you _yada yada yada_. I'm just worried that she's going to find out where I live now and try to stop by my place."

"You think she'd hurt Megan?" I asked, frowning at him. I knew what Macy was capable of and while I didn't think she'd actually physically hurt Megan, I didn't want to take a chance with her safety.

Sebastian exhaled loudly and shook his head. "I don't know. I wish I could say with some kind of certainty that Macy'd just say stupid shit, but I just don't know. I sent Megan a picture of her but who knows if that's still what she looks like. She changed her hair color and makeup all the time."

"When are you going back to New York?"

"Tuesday at the soonest. You?"

"Maybe next Thursday but more likely Friday," I said, wishing I could be with her already. "I have a couple reshoots that Joe wanted done now and a bunch of close ups they want to get out of the way since I'm clean-shaven again. Maybe if I really knuckle down I can be out of here sooner."

"Sounds like a plan. Are you sure you can't convince her to come here?" Sebastian asked, giving me a look.

I shook my head. "I'd try if I thought it would do any good, but she's got rehearsals and recording to do. Ed Sheeran's flying in to New York just to meet up with her so she's not going to leave now."

He nodded in understanding. "That's still really cool that she met him and he knew who she was. It just blows my mind that our dumb goofing around really got her noticed."

"Well, it doesn't hurt that you have two million followers that love seeing that kinda stuff, you know?"

"Very true. It's kinda fun having a roommate again, actually."  
  


 

*    *      *

Megan's POV

I was in and out a lot over the next couple days between rehearsals and running errands. I didn't notice anyone following me but when I went out to meet up with some friends for lunch on Saturday, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. When pictures appeared on the gossip sites the next day, I knew why.

There was some speculation about why I was in New York alone but I ignored it. It was none of their business and I didn't need to be around Chris 24/7. I missed him a lot, but I had enough to do that I didn't have much down time at the moment. I was determined to be recording ready by the time Ed got to New York in a couple days.

* *

I let myself into the apartment Wednesday night, intending to surprise Sebastian with dinner when he got home. He'd texted the other day to say he had to stay longer for some reshoots but he'd be back tonight. I made sure the door was locked and deadbolted before I tossed my keys on the counter, setting my purse down along with the groceries I'd picked up on my way back from the studio.

I took a moment to put the meat in the fridge, intending on taking a short catnap. It was only 5 pm, but I was just exhausted from another long day of rehearsals. I set an alarm on my phone and turned on one of my nighttime playlists before I curled up on the couch with a warm, fuzzy blanket. I closed my eyes and quickly drifted off.

A strange noise woke me before my alarm went off and I sat up, looking around for the source of the sound. I got up to check the washer and dryer, but I didn't remember starting a load, so that wasn't it. Maybe Sebastian had gotten in early and I hadn't heard him come in. He'd said he'd be landing around 7 or so, but it was only a little after 6 and traffic would be horrible right now. I didn't see his shoes by the door but I still walked back to his room to see if he was there. He didn't always leave them at the door, either.

His bedroom door was closed, which made me scratch my head. I was _sure_ I'd left it open earlier so it would warm up in there. For some reason, our bedrooms got really cold if the doors were closed for long periods of time. I opened it again and looked behind it to see if a jacket had fallen or something, but everything was still just as I'd seen it last.

Just then Sebastian's bathroom door opened and a woman that looked a lot like the picture he'd sent me walked out. I was confused as hell - I was _positive_ I'd locked the front door - and thrown the deadbolt. I'd made sure to throw the deadbolt all the time when I was here alone after Sebastian had warned me about Macy.

"Who the hell are you?" she snapped at me, looking confused.

"His roommate. Who the hell are you?"

"So _you're_ the slut Sebby replaced me with," she spat, walking closer. "I'm Macy."

"I've heard of you," I said as I surreptitiously started calling the police by tapping my home button 5 times and sliding my thumb over the red bar. I didn't know how Macy had gotten in but I knew she wasn't supposed to be here. "But I'm not dating Sebastian. I'm just his roommate, Macy."

"Put your hands up," she ordered, pulling a gun out and leveling it at me, the safety already off. "Back your ugly ass up into the kitchen." I hesitated, several options running through my mind. "Do it!"

"All right, I'm moving," I said, backing down the hallway to the kitchen, deciding to work with her for now. I didn't think I could make it out without getting shot and I didn't want to think about what Chris would tell me if I let that happen. "Don't shoot!"

"Phone on the counter."

I did as she said, setting the phone face down so she couldn't see it was already dialing. She gestured for me to move away, so I did, just hoping the call connected and the emergency dispatcher would be able to hear us talking.

"When's Sebby coming home?"

"Macy?" Sebastian said, walking into the kitchen just then. Thank goodness he'd gotten in earlier than he'd thought he would. Maybe she'd listen to him.

"Stay right there Sebby," Macy ordered, "Or I'll shoot your whore."

My heart sank when I heard that - she wasn't going to listen to anything he said regarding me; her mind was made up already.

Sebastian glared at her. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Macy? She's just my roommate!"

"Is that what you're calling it now?" she asked, laughing maniacally. "Set your phone on the counter, Sebby - slowly." She shifted so she could see both of us easily, keeping the gun trained on me.

"How did you know this is where Sebastian lived?" I asked as Sebastian mouthed _'sorry'_ to me, his expression apologetic. "He's only lived in at 421 Hudson St for a year."

"I watched you. I saw those pictures of him carrying you around and knew if I followed you, I'd find him again." She pouted. "You didn't tell me your address, Sebby. Or that you had such a nice place here."

"That's because I moved into number 501 after we broke up," Sebastian explained, thankfully catching on and playing along. I gestured at the phone with my eyes, mouthing _'called 9-1-1 keep her talking'_ to him when Macy looked away from me. "Macy, put the gun down already and we'll talk."

"I can't do that, Sebby," she said, sounding agitated. "If I put it down, you'll take it away from me and you still won't listen to me."

"I promise I'll listen to you, Macy."

"I don't believe you. You never call; you don't text...or Snap...or even tag me on Instagram anymore. I had to get your attention somehow!"

 

*         *          *

Chris' POV

I was halfway to my place in New York when I got an alert I'd never seen before - Megan had called emergency services. She wouldn't have used the home button to call for help if there was any other way; both her mom and I would get this alert and we'd both worry until we managed to get ahold of her.

I abruptly asked my driver to change destinations and get to their apartment as fast as possible.  I tried to reach Sebastian - he should've been almost home by now - but it went right to his voicemail. I didn't know what was going on but I couldn't shake the feeling Macy had something to do with him not answering.

I had a good driver and he got me there faster than I thought he would. Handing him a generous tip, I quickly hauled my suitcase inside, running for the elevator. I'd seriously considered leaving it behind, but my copy of the current Marvel movie script was inside. If it got out, I'd be in deep shit with the studio - there'd been so many leaks lately it seemed like half the cast didn't get their scripts until the morning of shooting.

I stopped abruptly when I arrived at Sebastian's apartment - the door was unlocked and slightly ajar, making me uneasy. Neither of them ever left the door like that - unlocked and swinging open. I cautiously poked my head in; seeing no one in the living room, I walked in and parked my suitcase just inside the door next to Sebastian's, almost tripping over Megan's favorite boots. I instantly went from uneasy to concerned because now I _knew_   they were both here.

I frowned to myself, something about the apartment just felt _off_ somehow. Walking into the kitchen, I noticed there were shopping bags on the island counter, along with Megan's purse. I caught a whiff of a perfume that was too heavily scented for either Megan or Sadie and too cheap for Scarlett or Lizzie to wear. My stomach clenched unpleasantly; I was fairly certain it was the kind of perfume Macy wore.

Megan and Sebastian's phones were also on the counter, which did nothing to allay my anxiety. I picked Megan's phone up to look at it, noticing it was locked down just as I heard voices coming from Sebastian's bedroom.

I set the phone down and quietly walked down the hallway past Megan's room - it was dark and empty - and so was the bathroom. I struggled to catch my breath as my anxiety clawed at my chest. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly - I had to keep control right now - I needed to find them first.

I could see light shining under Sebastian's door; I strained my ears but the voices had stopped so I couldn't tell exactly who was in the room. Deciding I needed to find out, I reached for the handle only to meet resistance - it was locked. Thankfully the door wasn't all the way closed and I pushed at the door, hoping that I wasn't going to find my girlfriend cheating on me with my best friend. 

The door swung all the way open and I froze in the doorway, my startled gaze riveted to the strange girl climbing onto a naked Sebastian - NOT Megan - and certainly NOT Sadie. The girl saw me and gave me a smirk, her eyes holding mine as I placed her - _Macy_.

Her hair was a lot different from the last time I'd seen her, but I was positive it was her. I stood rooted there in shock until I realized Sebastian wasn't just naked, he was tied to the goddamn bed...and gagged. That got me moving - Seb _hated_ being tied up; always had.

"Get off him," I growled, grabbing Macy by the waist and tossing her to the side, not caring where she landed. I shuddered; just touching her made my skin crawl. "Seb?" I asked as I pulled the gag off him. His eyes were closed and I shook his shoulder, alarmed at the lack of response from him - something was very wrong here.

"He's so compliant," Macy tittered, reaching for him. "I like him this way."

I glared at her, swatting her hands away. "Get the hell away - _what did you do to him?"_

"I'm gonna fuck him - just like old times." Macy smiled at me, ignoring my question and running her hands suggestively over her body in a way that made me sick to my stomach - everything about her made me sick.

I started freeing Seb's wrists from the silk neckties she'd used to bind him with - his own damn neckties. The abrasion of his wrists and the condition of the fabric showed how hard he'd fought before whatever she'd given him had taken effect. I glanced around while I worked at the knots but I still didn't see Megan anywhere in the room. The closet door was open but the bathroom door was closed, so my gut feeling was that Megan was in there; I just hoped she was okay.

"Seb, can you hear me?"  I was increasingly concerned that he still hadn't said anything yet - I wasn't even sure he knew I was there. I was relieved to see he was at least breathing, but much shallower than normal. I shook his shoulder again and this time he opened his eyes.

"Chris?" Sebastian slurred weakly, looking up at me with unfocused eyes, struggling to keep them open.

His arm dropped bonelessly as soon as I freed it - like he couldn't control his muscles. I put a hand on his chest and was alarmed to find his heartbeat significantly slower than it should be... and erratic? Fuck - he needed more help now than I knew how to give and he needed it _now_.

"Yeah, I'm here," I assured him as I reached over to start working on freeing his other wrist. "Talk to me, Seb."

"Drugged," he managed to say, so low I could hardly hear him. "Meg?" he panted, worry in his voice. "Is...she...ok?" One tear slowly rolled down his face and my blood ran cold.

"Stay with me, Seb. I'm calling the police," I told him as I let his other wrist drop beside him limply. I pulled out my phone and glanced over at the cause of all this.

"Put the phone down," Macy ordered, giving me a coy look - and aiming a gun at me, safety clearly off. I straightened up, taken aback. That explained _why_ Sebastian let her tie him up - I didn't trust Macy with a gun, either.

"Macy, where's Megan?"

"Do you mean the redheaded slut that was here when I got here?" I didn't answer, pissed that she'd called Megan a slut. Macy took that for confirmation and smiled chillingly.  "She won't be bothering us tonight; I took care of her."

My blood ran cold and I had to try hard to keep control of myself. I didn't know Macy had done anything to Megan - I just hoped she hadn't shot her. That seemed a little extreme even for Macy.

"What do you mean you 'took care of her,' Macy? Megan's _my_ girlfriend _, not Seb's!_   _What the fuck did you DO TO MY GIRLFRIEND?!"_

Macy looked slightly chagrined but she didn't lower the gun. "Calm down, Chris - and put the phone down. I'm in charge tonight and I say _you'renotcallinganyone_!"

"What did you do to her?" I demanded roughly, afraid of what she was going to say.

"I'm sure she'll be fine...eventually. Set it down, Evans."

That didn't make me feel any better, but she was getting a little twitchy, so I set my phone on the bed by Sebastian. His eyes were closed again and I couldn't even tell if he was still breathing. The lump in my throat threatened to choke me as I swallowed hard; I was going to have to watch my best friend die right in front of me if I couldn't reason with Macy.

"Seb, buddy - try and stay awake, okay?" He didn't respond and I couldn't see his chest moving. "What the hell did you give him, Macy? He's not fucking breathing!"

"I didn't give him anything _bad_ ," she whined, looking worried. "Wake him up!"

"Seb?" I said, shaking him slightly and seeing him take a shallow breath. I made my voice as commanding as possible. "Macy, he needs medical attention _now_. I need to call an ambulance for him or he's gonna die." She started lowering the gun only to whip it back up as we heard loud pounding at the door.

"NYPD! Open up!"

"How are the fuck are they here already?" Macy growled. "Don't let them in!"

"Macy, put the gun down!" I said loudly, warning the officers she was armed. I'd heard them let themselves in; I hadn't locked the door behind me. "Seb's gonna die, Macy. They can help him, okay?" I held my hand out for the gun, willing her to do the right thing. A glance showed me his lips were starting to turn blue and he was even paler than before. "Please - I don't want him to die - and neither do you."

She looked down at Sebastian and nodded, setting the gun in my hand. I transparently sat it on the floor and kicked it back away from us as NYPD came rushing in. My relief that this ordeal was over was very short-lived. As they shoved me out of the room, I watched them starting chest compressions on Sebastian.

They took me into the living room and I heard over their radios a minute later that they'd found Megan as they finished clearing the rooms... and a second ambulance was requested for her. I sank down onto the couch, hands shaking and struggling to catch my breath as my anxiety got the best of me.

 

*    *     *  
Megan's POV

I didn't know how long I'd been out for but I had an excruciating headache; the bitch had knocked me out when she'd hit me with the gun. I hurt all over and the unfamiliar noises were overwhelming. I wanted to cover my ears but I couldn't move - there was something holding me in place.

"I think she's starting to wake up," a woman said. "We're 10 minutes out yet."

"Miss Jones - can you hear me?" another stranger asked. I pried my eyes open, finding it harder than I thought. "If you can hear me, blink twice."

That I could do. _Blink, blink._

"Where...am...I?" I asked weakly, finding it hard to talk because I was wearing an oxygen mask. I tried to focus on the man - paramedic, my mind realized - leaning over me in my line of sight. I glanced around in panic, not knowing what was happening. I reached up to rub my eyes but the paramedic intercepted my hand, holding it in his and speaking evenly in a calm voice.

"It's going to be all right. You're in an ambulance and we're taking you to the hospital for some tests. You had a pretty bad blow to the head and lost a lot of blood."

"Baz?" I asked before realizing they wouldn't know who I was talking about. "Sebastian?"

"Sebastian's in the other ambulance," the woman said. "They're already at the hospital; he left before we did."

"Oh," I sighed, closing my eyes again. I was just so _tired_.

"I need you to stay awake, Miss Jones," the man said, squeezing my hand lightly. "Keep your eyes open - you can't go to sleep yet."

"Meg..Megan."

"All right, Megan. Can you stay awake for me until we get there?"

"Try to," I replied, fighting the lassitude.

 

*     *    *

Chris' POV

I was alone now, the last officer having just left a couple minutes ago after taking my statement. I stared at my phone, trying to work up the courage to call Sadie, knowing Seb would want her here in New York if he woke up - _when_ he woke up, I corrected myself. Seb was a fighter; I refused to let myself think anything negative.

I hit the screen and raised the phone to my ear, closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose. "How fast can you get to Manhattan?" I asked without preamble when Sadie answered after a couple rings. "I'll have Josh either book you a direct flight or charter one - whatever's faster."

"Chris? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Sadie asked, instantly worried.

"I'm okay, but Seb and Megan were attacked tonight," I explained, not sure what else to say about it. "They're on their way to the hospital now."

"Oh, God! Are they... are they going to be okay?" Sadie asked, her voice breaking and I just hoped she wasn't alone right now. "What happened?"

"I don't know everything yet," I hedged, "but Seb was drugged, they think maybe he was overdosed-"

"What?!"

"And Megan probably has a concussion and needs stitches."

"I'm on my way to the hospital to find out now; I'll be able to tell you more by the time you get here."

"Hold on, Chris. The boys want to know what's going on," Sadie said. "Don't hang up." She muted me while she talked to the boys and it was only a minute later and she was back on the line. "Can you have Josh charter a flight for the three of us? There's no way I'm going to be able to get a regular flight this time of night - not here."

"If something happened to Seb, we're not letting Mom go alone," Liam explained, his voice firm. It sounded like he'd taken the phone away from Sadie. "Are you okay?"

"Not yet. Megan was attacked, too."

"Shit."

"Language," I said reflexively. "Your mom hates it when you talk like that."

"Sorry Mom," he said to her. "Sorry Chris. Is she going to be okay?"

"I think so. Give the phone back to Sadie and get packed for a couple days. I'll see you when you guys get here."

I heard Sadie shoo the boys away and tell them to get packing as she got her phone back. "How are you holding up? For real?"

"I don't know, doll," I admitted quietly. "I don't know." I hadn't really processed everything yet; I was just starting to come down from my adrenaline high and right now I just had to keep moving or I was going to crash. "I'm gonna call Josh and get him working on arrangements right now."

"Tell Josh to send me the details and we'll be there as soon as we can," Sadie promised. "Love you, babe."

"Love you, doll. See you soon," I said quietly, letting myself out of Sebastian's apartment, a satchel slung over my shoulder and two jackets over my arm. I called Josh to get things taken care of, trying hard not to think about how I could have lost them both tonight - my best friend _and_ the woman I loved.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Necessary A/N:   
> If you've read Only You , you'll immediately see the differences between the two stories. Things were much worse for Sebastian during the nightmare part of his dream - but that never really happened - it was only ever a dream.   
> I don't want to give too much away, but everything will be explained in the next chapters.


	28. It's Gonna Be Okay

Megan's POV

Unsurprisingly, my tests showed that I had a concussion from how hard I'd hit the tiled bathroom floor after Macy had decked me with the gun. I remembered that now that my brain fog was clearing somewhat. Thanks to her, I was also sporting a shiny row of staples on the side of my head...it's a good thing I didn't look good with short hair for as many scars as I had on my head by now. At least my vision was almost normal again too, so that was a plus.

The doctor had insisted on admitting me at least overnight for observation when he'd learned I didn't have anyone to look after me right now; I had to be woken periodically to keep from sleeping too deeply. Since Sadie was in South Dakota, both Tom's were back in Britain, and Chris was still in Atlanta for a couple more days none of them were around. My poor roommate was in the ICU; as they were bringing me to my room, the nice nurse told me she'd learned Sebastian was going to be okay.

I suddenly realized I had absolutely no idea where my phone was - so Chris didn't even _know_ I was in the hospital again. At this rate, he was probably going to think I was more trouble than I was worth.

Now that I was alone, I couldn't stop myself from thinking about the past couple hours. I fought back tears - crying wouldn't help my pounding headache. I took a couple of deep breaths and closed my eyes, focusing instead on my songs I'd been rehearsing all week. I was finally just drifting off when I heard someone entering my room that _wasn't_ my nurse - the sound of the footsteps was wrong. I opened my eyes in alarm only to see what looked like Chris walking towards my bed.

"Chris? Is it really you?" I asked, rubbing my eyes and not entirely sure I wasn't dreaming - he was supposed to be in Atlanta yet.

"Hey baby," Chris said, sitting on the bed beside me and leaning over to kiss my forehead. "It's really me. I didn't mean to wake you."

"I'm glad you did - I'm so happy to see you!" I threw my arms around his neck, just hugging him tight for a long moment, fighting tears again.

He carefully put his arms around me, rubbing up and down my back gently. He really was here, I accepted as I breathed in the familiar intoxicating mixture of his Gucci cologne, his favorite herbal shampoo and that underlying spicy Chris smell. His skin was warm under my cold hands and the feel of his arms around me was just what I needed right now.

"When did you get here and how did you know where I was?" I asked, kissing his neck. "I don't know where my phone is or I would've called you."

"I'm psychic?" Chris said, making me smile against his skin. "I'm so glad you're okay, baby. I was so worried when I got that alert."  I felt him exhale deeply in relief; that little noise was my undoing and I lost it.

"I was so scared... I wasn't ever...gonna see you again!" I managed to get out between sobs.

"Me too, but it's gonna be okay now." His voice was rough with emotion as I sniffled into his shirt. "You scared the hell out of me tonight. I couldn't find you anywhere and I didn't know what'd happened to either of you." 

 

*          *            *

Chris' POV

I shifted to pick Megan up and pulled her into my lap, wrapping my arms around her and peppering her face with kisses, making her giggle even as she cried.

"I'm sorry," Megan sniffed, rubbing her face against mine and I was sure my five o'clock shadow was abrading her sensitive skin.

"Me too, baby," I murmured brokenly, unable to push my emotions away any longer; she was safe and in my arms again. "I'm sorry I couldn't get there sooner. You don't know how glad I am that you're both okay."

My shoulders shook as my sobs racked me, and I buried my face in her neck, breathing in her light perfume. She ran her fingers soothingly through my thick hair and turned into me, letting me capture her lips with my own. When I finally stopped crying and loosened my grip on her, she gave me one last kiss, one hand gently brushing over the side of my face.

"How're you feeling, baby?" I asked, kissing the tip of her nose.

"I've been better," Megan sighed, making me chuckle. "I thought you weren't going to be home until this weekend?"

"I managed to get all of my reshoots done faster than I anticipated and caught the same flight home as Seb. I was going to stop at my place first but then I got the alert that you'd contacted 911. That was really smart of you, baby."

"The ambulance man -" she paused, trying to remember the right word.

"Paramedic?" I supplied.

"Yes - that." She rubbed her forehead tiredly. The nurse had warned me she was having slight memory issues at the moment – nothing out of the ordinary for a concussion. "He said dispatch listened to us talking."

I nodded. "You even managed to give them the address without Macy knowing. I was really worried when the door was ajar when I got there."

She stared at me in disbelief. "You were there? At the apartment?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know how she got in the building, let alone the apartment. I locked the door, Chris. I _know_ I did - _and_ I threw the deadbolt!"

"They found a bump key - kind of like a skeleton key," I explained, her expression perplexed. "She had it in her purse and the police think she used on the deadbolt. Somehow she either knew or managed to guess Seb's codes for both the street door and the apartment - I'm not really sure which."

"So she only got in because she knew him well enough?"

"Yeah. There's nothing you could have done differently – she was determined to get in."

"Can I...can I see Baz?" she asked in a small voice.

"Not tonight," I said, having already asked her nurse that before I'd come into her room. "Your nurse said you're supposed to stay put for now." She pouted slightly, making me smile. "You can go see him in the morning, baby."

"You promise?"

"I promise. As soon as they let you out I'll take you over there. Why don't you get under the covers and I'll lay with you for a little while."

"Fine," Megan sighed when it was clear I wouldn't give in. She climbed off my lap and slid under the covers, leaving room for me to lay beside her and waiting for me to settle myself in. She laid her head on my shoulder and snuggled into her usual spot. "When did you get there? The apartment?"

"Right before the NYPD. I think maybe five minutes before they got there." I had to stop myself from reaching over to stroke her hair like I usually would - I could see the line of staples on the side of her head. "I called Sadie, baby."

"Oh! I didn't even think of that."

"You had a busy day."

"What did she say when you called her?"

"She's pretty upset," I admitted. "I mean she only lost Justin what - like 6 months ago?"

"Yeah," Megan agreed. "Something like that. And then to have to hear that she almost lost Baz, too? That's awful!"

"She and the boys are on their way here; I had Josh charter a flight for them."

"I wouldn't even know what to tell her right now."

"She was pretty worried; you both were unconscious at the time so we didn't even know what'd happened - still don't."

Megan winced sympathetically. "I'm sorry?"

I kissed her forehead lightly and stroked her face. "It's not your fault Macy came after you. Thank you for saving Seb, by the way. If you hadn't called 911, he wouldn't be here now."

"She made me tie him up," Megan admitted in a small voice. "After she made him drink something in the kitchen."

"I thought I recognized the knots," I teased her. "You've gotten better at them."

She snorted. "I tried to make those ones you were teaching me so Baz could get out - but she made me redo the knots."

"Then what? Was she mad at you?"

"That's putting it mildly," Megan said, rolling her eyes. "She's crazy - and she was _really_ pissed. She hit me with the gun after that and I don't remember anything else until the ride here."

"I'm sorry you had to do that, baby. She threatened to shoot you if you didn't do what she wanted, didn't she?"

Megan nodded, refusing to meet my eyes and buried her face in my chest, muffling her words. "What if he hates me when he wakes up, Chris? What if he never wants to see me again?"

"He won't hate you, baby," I promised, smiling at her. She peeked up at me and smothered a large yawn. "You'll see. Now get some sleep - it's already almost midnight and your nurse said she'd be waking you periodically tonight."

"Will you stay with me?"

"Yeah, until Sadie gets here. I need to talk to her for a bit and then I'll be back, okay?" I set my phone where I'd be able to reach it easily when Sadie called.

"Okay," Megan yawned, closing her eyes.

* *

Megan murmured in her sleep when I carefully shifted out from under her a short while later to go meet Sadie in the ICU waiting room. I hadn't been able to fall asleep - tonight's events kept replaying in my mind.

"You got here faster than I thought you would," I said as I pulled Sadie into a hug. "How are you holding up, doll?"

"I just need to see him, Chris," she said hoarsely, avoiding answering my question; her red eyes and the tight grip she had on me told me everything I needed to know.

"Where are the boys?"

"Bathroom," she jerked her thumb at the restroom sign. "They're upset mostly because I'm upset, but they don't know what happened. How's Megan?"

"Okay. She's definitely got a concussion and they put in a row of staples right here," I said, showing her on my own head where they were. "I think she said Macy hit her with something but my memory is shit right now."

"You look exhausted, babe." Sadie clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Poor Megan! She's got awful luck with injuries at the moment."

Just then the boys came out of the bathroom and hugged me - even Liam who said he was too old for hugs. That told me how worried he was about Seb. I led them to Sebastian's room, one arm around Sadie and the other around Isaac, who'd refused to let go of me yet.

"I'm Sadie Wilson," she said, holding out a hand to Seb's nurse. "And these are my sons Liam and Isaac."

Amy knew who Sadie was right away, her eyes widening slightly. "Nice to meet you - I wish it was under better circumstances. I'm Amy and I'm taking care of Sebastian tonight."

"Is he going to be okay?" Isaac asked, staring at Sebastian with a worried look on his face.

He gripped my hand a little tighter and I shifted so my arm was around his slim shoulders. The kid was understandably terrified that Seb was dying; the last time they'd visited the ICU had been because their dad had been dying.

"Yeah, he is now," I told him, talking quietly while Amy filled Sadie and Liam in. "The ambulance got to Seb soon enough for the paramedics to help him. Your mom was just really worried about him and wanted to be here when he woke up."

"We did, too. Mom didn't really tell us anything on the way here."

"That's my fault, buddy. I didn't know much when I called her," I explained when he met my eyes. "I just knew she'd want to be here." Isaac nodded and looked back down at Sebastian.

"The lab tests showed he was overdosed with a combination of benzodiazepines," Amy was saying when I focused on her again. "He's very lucky they found him when they did."

"Did they give him flumazenil?" Sadie asked.

"No," Amy said, shaking her head. "He wasn't a good candidate and these exotic cocktail combinations don't seem to respond well to it. We've been seeing a lot of them again lately."

Sadie nodded, the worry not leaving her eyes. She took Sebastian's hand in hers, reaching over to brush his hair back and caressing his face. "He hates it when it falls in his eyes," she said quietly before looking over at Amy. "Respiratory depression?"

"Was an issue for a while. EMS administered both naloxone and calcium gluconate on the way here since EMS wasn't sure what exactly he was given."

Sadie nodded - that meant more to her than it did me. "Certainly couldn't hurt."

"Sebastian is breathing on his own again and while his oxygen saturation levels are still lower than what the doctor would like to see, they have been gradually improving."

"Did his heart stop?" Liam asked, noticing the electrodes and wires on Sebastian's chest.

"Briefly," Amy said. "EMS performed CPR at the scene and within two minutes Sebastian's heart rate was mostly stabilized. He still shows some arrhythmia so we'll be monitoring him for the time being. If you watch this line here," she pointed at the monitor. "See how regular they look and then... right there. See the difference?"

"So his heartbeat isn't regular?" Liam asked, frowning at the monitors. "There it is again."

"Correct. Those odd beats don't happen all the time but there's been fewer of them in the last hour."

"So he's getting better?" Isaac asked perking up slightly. "Is he going to wake up?"

"Yes," Amy and Sadie both said instantly.

"He's just sleeping really deeply right now while the bad stuff get broken down and leaves his body," Amy said, dumbing down what she would have told me or Sadie so the boys would be able to understand. "He should wake up on his own sometime later this morning, probably before lunch."

"This isn't like your Dad," I murmured to Isaac. "I know you're worried, and I understand, buddy - really, I do - but he _is_ going to wake up."

"Amy, can you give us a couple minutes with him?" Sadie asked quietly.

Amy nodded and turned to go. "Not a problem; take as much time as you need. I'll be right outside doing some charting."

"Thanks," I said, trying to smile at her.

Sadie looked up at me as she finger-combed his wild hair back, trying to get it to stay out of his face. "It's weird, seeing him laying so still like this, you know?"

I did know what she meant. Seb was one of those people that was always moving - even in his sleep, so he never really laid perfectly still.

"Chris, why's there a police officer outside?" Liam asked, gesturing at the door.

I looked over to see one of the officers from earlier outside and talking to Sebastian's nurse. I raised one hand to show him I saw him and he nodded in understanding.

"Because I hired a couple of them for the next few days. If the press finds out Seb's here they're going to be a nuisance. I've already told switchboard not to disclose his room number and to hold all calls for now."

"So glad I'm not famous," Isaac muttered just barely loud enough for us to hear. Liam rolled his eyes as Sadie and I shared a look and decided not to burst his bubble tonight; sometimes ignorance was bliss.

"Frank was there tonight if you have anything you want to ask him, doll," I explained to Sadie, turning towards the door. "Do you wanna come talk to him with me?"

"Go ahead, Mom," Liam said. "We're gonna talk to Seb for a bit and keep him company, all right?" He met my eyes and I knew he understood this wasn't something he and Isaac needed to be a part of.

"Sure," Sadie said, nodding.

I saw her blink rapidly as she turned away from them and I put my arm around her, pulling her tight to me and letting her lean on me. This wasn't going to be an easy conversation for her, but she didn't have to do it alone. I was grateful Isaac was already chattering away at Sebastian as we left the room, telling him about some science thing that was going on at their school right now.

 

*         *           *

Sebastian's POV

I heard an annoying beeping over the conversations going on around me while I tried to pry open my eyes. I stared blearily up at an institutional looking white ceiling and white walls before closing my eyes again.

It was brighter the second time I opened my eyes and managed to look around. Scratchy sheets, uncomfortable elevated bed; I was in a hospital somewhere I determined before it was too hard to keep my eyes open. I was vaguely aware of Chris talking to an unfamiliar female - my nurse, maybe?

The third time I opened my eyes I managed to keep them open for longer than a glance. Bits and pieces were coming to me as I laid there, trying to remember what happened and why I was here. I moved my fingers and toes, relieved when I could feel them moving. Someone was holding my hand and I turned my head to see who it was.

"Hey doll," I croaked, coughing and clearing my throat as I made my eyes focus on the beautiful brunette sitting next to my bed. She reached over and stroked my face lightly, her golden brown eyes staring into mine.

"Sebastian?" she whispered. "Are you really awake this time?"

"Sure," I said, my eyes struggling to stay open.

"How're you feeling?"

"Like shit," I groaned, tugging lightly at her hand. "Come'er, Sadie."

She smiled, leaning down and kissing me gently, her lips warm and tasting of coffee. I didn't usually imagine tastes, so this must be real. I slid my hand behind the nape of her neck, pulling her closer to me. I needed to hold her right now for my own peace of mind.

"Come up here, doll," I whispered against her lips. "Wanna hold you."

"Okay," she said with a wobbly smile, agreeing faster than I thought she would.

She carefully climbed onto the bed, stretching out beside me. I felt so weak as I pulled her close, my muscles not cooperating yet. She buried her face in my neck, one hand on the side of my face and I kissed the top of her head and closed my eyes, just breathing in her calming scent and feeling her warm breath on my neck.

I must've fallen back asleep again because when I opened my eyes, Sadie wasn't there but my mom and stepdad were in chairs beside my bed, talking quietly.

"Sebastian?" my mom asked when she noticed I was awake.

"Mama?" She started speaking rapid Romanian, but I held up one hand to stop her. "<English, Mama - and slower, please,>" I replied in kind. "My head hurts too much to think."

 

*    *  *

Chris' POV

It was good to see Sebastian's eyes open again for longer than a minute or two. I had my back against the wall with Sadie in front of me and we were out of Seb's line of sight. She leaned her head on my chest as he talked to his parents and I could tell she was crying again.

I put one finger under her chin to get her to look up at me. I slowly wiped her cheeks with one hand before pulling her tight, murmuring in her ear. "Don't cry, doll. He's gonna be okay now."

"I can't help it," she said in a low ragged voice. "I was so afraid he wasn't going to wake up."

"I know; we all were. Do you want me to go get the boys and Megan from the waiting room?"

She looked over at him for a moment. "Yeah, I think he's going to stay awake this time. Is Megan still afraid he's going to be mad at her?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "I told her he won't be but she doesn't believe me."

"I'm just so glad she was there," Sadie said, her voice breaking.

"Don't even think about it, doll. Think happy thoughts."

"Think happy thoughts?" Sadie chuckled, raising her eyebrows. "Really, Evans? Are you Peter Pan now?"

"Yup - at least my Ma would agree with that one, don't you think? Seb's looking for you, doll. I'm gonna go get the others, okay?"

"Okay."

 

*      *       *

Megan's POV

Sebastian must be awake, I determined when I saw Chris' large frame standing in the comfortably appointed ICU waiting room when we got back upstairs. He was tapping at his phone while he waited for us. Sadie's boys had complained that they were starving so we'd walked down to the cafeteria to get a snack to tide them over until dinner. I came up beside him and leaned my head on his firm arm.

"Where'd you go?" he asked, glancing over at me.

"Snack run - teenage boys need lots of food," I explained with a shrug, handing him a coffee from the drink carrier; I noticed he didn't disagree with my observation.

"Is Seb awake?" Liam asked hopefully from behind me.

"Can we talk to him?" Isaac asked, bouncing around with more energy than I could stand to watch at the moment; he made me tired just _looking_ at him.

"Yes and yes," Chris replied, herding the human puppy the right direction as I stayed away from him. Bouncy boy and hot coffees were a bad combination and my luck had been pretty shitty lately. "I don't know how long he'll stay awake this time," he warned us. "He's still pretty tired."

Sebastian looked a lot better than this morning; he was even sitting up and talking. I stayed back while the boys hugged him and chattered at him; they'd been really worried about him and their mom. They knew he meant a lot to her and she was taking it about as well as could be expected... okay, not great. I handed around the rest of the coffees and Sebastian's parents were pleased that I'd thought of them, too.

"No coffee for me?" Sebastian teased, looking exhausted already from being awake. He was eyeing my travel cup longingly and looked genuinely happy to see me, so maybe Chris and Sadie were right and he didn't hate me.

"I'll share if you stay awake long enough to drink it, Sleeping Beauty," I grinned, taking a sip as Chris and Sadie laughed. "You can't have it all, though."

I'd learned a long time ago that he and I both liked our coffee the same way; he'd swiped mine more than once when I'd been distracted on set and he'd already finished his...the only time he wouldn't was if I was wearing lipstick. He studied my lips and held out a hand for my cup as I snickered; he'd already having determined I wasn't wearing any makeup today. 

*    *

"Are you okay, Roşu?" Sebastian asked when Chris, Sadie, and the boys went to walk Sebastian's parents down to their car. "I'm starting to remember more now. I know I heard you scream but I couldn't move to get to you."

I came closer and sat on the bed beside him. "I'll be okay in a few days. I'm really, _really_ sorry I had to tie you up. Can you forgive me?"

He tugged my arm gently and I curled into him for a hug, my arms around his neck. He rubbed my back gently before kissing my forehead. "There's nothing to forgive, Roşu; I wasn't going to just let her _shoot_ you!"

"You don't know that she would have _actually_ shot me," I muttered but Sebastian heard me and pulled back to see my face, giving me a speaking look. "I wasn't suggesting we test that theory because you know what Chris would say," I backpedaled quickly.

"Damn straight we weren't testing that! I just wish she hadn't checked the knots."

"You would've been able to get away," I agreed. "But not for long - whatever she made you drink really did a number on you, roomie. By the time I finished all the knots you were pretty out of it."

"I'm so sorry she did that to you. If you didn't live with me, you would've been perfectly fine right now."

I shook my head slowly. "If I didn't live with you, you wouldn't be here, Baz," I pointed out. "Chris said the NYPD had to do CPR because your heart fucking _stopped_. I can live with a concussion - it's not my first and it probably won't be my last-"

"It better be your last," he muttered, making me smile. "FYI, we're moving as soon as I find a new place for us. I don't want to live there anymore."

"You still want me for a roomie?" I asked in surprise. "I'm not too much trouble?"

"Hell yeah - at least if Chris'll let you stay with me. I'm sure he's got an opinion on that right now."

"He does want me to move in with him," I admitted with a sigh. "I'm just not sure I'm ready for that yet but we'll talk about it later, okay?" I could see the others outside the door already. "We good?"

"We're good. Thank you for everything, Megan." He pulled me in for another hug.

"You're welcome," I whispered. "I'm just glad you're really going to be okay."

 

 

*       *     *

Sadie's POV

Sebastian stopped at his door, holding my hand so tightly I was afraid he was going to leave marks, not making a move to unlock it. When I shifted so I could see his face, he was decidedly green around the gills. I was extremely grateful the boys had decided to go with Chris and Megan for a while, giving us a little time alone while we worked through this.

"Come on," I said, reaching past him to unlock the door and backing inside. "You gonna camp on your doorstep all day?" I tugged at his hand, but he didn't move.

"I don't wanna go in," he said quietly, swallowing convulsively.

I reached up and touched his face, getting him to look at me. "Sebastian, I'll be with you the whole time, okay?"

I was glad I'd had the foresight to come over yesterday to erase all traces of Macy from his apartment...and clean up the blood in the bathroom. If I hadn't known how badly head wounds bleed and how large a gash Megan had, I would've thought someone had actually died from the amount of blood on that bathroom floor.

"I'm putting this place up for sale tomorrow," he said firmly. "I don't care if she's going to be locked up for a long time - I can't live here anymore."

"Wait, you sell apartments here – you don't rent them?" I asked curiously, tugging him inside.

"It's complicated," he said with the ghost of a smile, shutting the door and locking it. "Want to look at properties with me? I could really use your opinion."

"Sure. I love looking at houses," I said with a grin, hanging up my coat and toeing off my flats.

Sebastian surprised me by pulling me into his arms. "Great, because I'd already been thinking about finding a different place before all this happened. Something a little bigger, maybe even closer to Chris," he hinted, kissing my cheek.

"Bigger? Why would you need more room than this?" I gestured at the large open space around me that wasn't even fully utilized, even with all Megan's stuff.

"Well, you see, there's this great girl I know that has a couple of kids that like to complain because they have to share a bed when they come to stay with me."

I pulled back to look at him. "They complained to you about that? I raised them better than that, really I did."

"They're right, Sadie; they're too old to share a bed anymore - and Liam hates how Isaac tosses and turns in his sleep. No one wants to have to share a bed with him - not even you."

"Touché. You were really thinking about that already?" I asked, heading for the kitchen to get a drink of water, Sebastian following behind me. He plugged his phone in on the counter and hopped up to sit on it. I bit my tongue; if he wanted to sit on his counter, he could.

"Yeah, I was," he said with that crooked grin I liked so well. "I'd like it if we had someplace that was well...ours."

I paused in the act of grabbing a glass out of the cupboard, looking over at him. "Sebastian, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I'd like for you to move in with me when you're in New York."

I could tell from his expression that he was serious, so I took a moment to really consider the idea. He held out a hand to me and pulled me over to him so I was standing between his legs, resting my hands on his heavily muscled thighs. I ran my hands lightly up and down them as I thought, watching his expressions.

"Why don't you come live with me at the lake for a couple weeks?" I finally suggested. Some time away from the city would be good for him and it had been a while since he'd been to the lake for more than a day or two. "Just until you have to leave for LA again?"

He cupped my face and kissed me leisurely. "I'd love to - if you're sure that's okay with the boys."

"It was their idea, actually. They think it would be good to have you around a little more...and I wasn't planning on being in New York again for a couple months," I admitted quietly, staring into his beautiful cerulean eyes. "Not until I had to come back for the press tour and the premiere."

Sebastian looked a little taken aback by that and I realized I hadn't mentioned that to him. "Will you live with me here, too?" he asked, holding my eyes with his own as he hopped down, putting his arms around me and pulling me tight to him. "If the only thing stopping you is a label, you know I'd _love_ to be able to call you my girlfriend." He brought one of my hands to his lips, kissing my knuckles. "Or fiancé...or-"

"Let's start with girlfriend, Sebastian," I said, cutting him off before he gave me a panic attack. "Baby steps - remember? And are you sure we need to use official terminology?" I teased him, misquoting Megan and raising an eyebrow. "Can't I just make it Facebook official?"

He laughed at my Megan reference. "Maybe - but I want everyone to know you're mine, doll. Not just friends and family." He set me on the counter, kissing me gently. "I love you, Sadie - and I don't care who knows that as long as you do."

"I know you do, Sebastian," I sighed against his lips; he was getting carried away again. It wasn't that I didn't love him, but I had to think about how going public with our relationship would affect my family.

"No more secrecy, no more just being friends with benefits, doll." He stroked my face lightly, his expression serious. "I mean it. I want to be able to hold your hand and not care who's watching and kiss you whenever I want." He deepened the kiss until we were both gasping for breath. I put my arms around his neck and pulled him close, just holding on to him until our breathing returned to normal. "What are you thinking?" he asked when I let go of him.

"A lot of things," I hedged. I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly while I put my thoughts in order. "I'm afraid of what people will say, Sebastian." He nodded, taking my hands in his. "But I'm more afraid of regret." He opened his mouth and I set one finger on his lips, needing to finish what I wanted to say before I chickened out. "I'm afraid...that I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life if I don't take this chance to be with you. Maybe it'll work out - maybe it won't - but I really do want to give it a shot."

His eyes lit up and he threw his arms around me, dragging me off the counter so I was closer to him. I wrapped my legs around him as his lips covered mine and it was a long time before we reluctantly came up for air.

 

*      *       *

Sebastian's POV

"What do you think, doll?" I asked as we finished looking at the last place on my agent's list.

We'd seen five nice places already, but this one was definitely the best one. I'd been watching Sadie's reactions at each place and I could tell she really liked this apartment. It was important to me that we find somewhere that would suit _us_ because I wanted her to be happy here with me, too.

"It's perfect, Sebastian," Sadie said quietly, squeezing my hand. "I love it! What do you think?"

"I think I'm gonna put an offer in on it, doll; it has everything we wanted." I pulled her into my arms and she slipped her arms around my torso, leaning her head on my shoulder. "And it's available right away, so we can move in as soon as the paperwork's taken care of."

"You're paying someone to haul everything, right?" Sadie asked, kissing my neck. "Everything I keep in New York fits in a large suitcase - not counting what I brought with me this time - and most of it's still at Chris' place."

She was right - of the two of us I definitely had more stuff. "When you put it that way, hell yeah I'm gonna spring for full service movers."

"You should go talk details, Sebastian," Sadie said, tilting her head to give me a kiss on the cheek. "I need to remind Megan to do a few things for me before the end of the day."

"Like what? I'd like you sign the offer with me."

Sadie shook her head at me, pulling back slightly. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because if – God forbid – if something happens to you, I'm pretty sure I can't afford this place – not that I remember what this one's worth, but if it's about the same as the others, sorry babe. I've had to deal with enough estate stuff; I already know what my lawyer would tell me on this."

"So that's a firm no?"

She tapped her phone screen to call Megan. "That's a hard no."

"I still love you, doll," I said with a grin, giving her a quick kiss.

"I'm not changing my mind, Sebastian," Sadie said, shooing me away and bringing her phone up to her face. "Sorry about that, Megan. Yeah - I think we found a place."

 

*          *             *

Megan's POV

Everything I owned still fit into two large suitcases and a duffle bag. It's what I'd used to move into Sebastian's a couple months ago and it's what I used to move all my stuff to Chris'. It took me less than an hour to pack everything again, but it felt like the end of a chapter.

"Got everything, Roşu?" Sebastian asked from the doorway, popping in to talk to me or Chris while I finished my packing.

"Yeah, I think so," I said, standing up straight and stretching my back out. "Last chance to back out, Evans. Are you sure you want me to live with you?"

Chris smiled and rolled his eyes as he put the handle up on the larger suitcase to wheel it out. My duffle bag was already over his arm - he said it was too heavy for me to carry yet. "You're not getting out of this that easily, Megan."

"It's going to be good, you'll see," Sebastian said, sitting on the bed beside the other suitcase as I checked the drawers and closet one last time. "You're always welcome to stay with me anytime, Roşu. You know that, right?"

I came over and sat down beside him, putting my arms around his waist and resting my head on his shoulder. "I know. It just feels so final, you know? Kinda like goin off to college all over again - leaving home knowing you'll only be back to visit every now and again."

Sebastian snorted. "Are you sayin I'm old?"

"If the shoe fits," I teased him. "Or the Velcro orthotic." I slapped my leg and laughed.

He lost it at that wisecrack. "Smart ass. I'm gonna miss having you around here," he admitted when he stopped laughing. "It was fun, having you to watch movies and hang out with."

"You've got Sadie for that stuff," I pointed out. "Besides, I know you're going to be gone a lot anyways."

"That's true. It's time to see if we can make this work without living in a big city. Sadie would never move here full time."

"No, she wouldn't," I agreed. It would be a few years yet before she'd even think about agreeing to that. She thought it would be better for the boys to keep things as normal as possible considering how famous she was now. "I can't wait to see your new place - I heard it's got a killer view."

"It does," he said with a grin. He gave me a tight hug - the kind that made you never want to let go. "One last picture for your Chronicles?" He pulled out his phone and took a selfie with me.

"Yeah. Poor Chris has to put up with me as a roomie now. You can wash your hands of me."

"Poor Chris my ass," Sebastian said with a laugh. "He's been trying to get you to stay with him from the beginning." He took my hand in his and squeezed it gently.  "I'm serious, Megan. If Chris ever fucks up, you call me and I'll beat some sense into him for you."

"I'll hold you to that, Baz," I said, rolling my eyes at him.

 

 


	29. Ex's and Oh's

Chris' POV

I noticed a familiar brunette approaching me as I looked for the building's number, checking to make sure this was the right address. She was looking down at her phone so I was sure she hadn't seen me yet; a moment earlier and I wouldn't have seen her either.

"Jenny?"

She glanced up at the sound of her name, looking around. "Chris! Hi!" Her face lit up and she stepped closer for a hug with a huge smile on her face. "How are you?"

It had been months since I'd seen Jenny, even in a professional capacity. She was just such a nice, genuine person and we'd always gotten along so well; we'd dated for a while after doing _Gifted_ together a little over a year ago, but the timing just hadn't been right for either of us back then. My career had really taken off and I had to go abroad for back to back filming commitments and an intense worldwide press tour.

As for Jenny...well, she said she wanted some time to find herself again once her divorce was final. I breathed in her familiar scent as I put my arms around her and was instantly hit by memories.

"I'm good! What are you up to today?" I asked as I let go of her.

"I was just heading into an audition," she replied, pointing to the building I was just getting ready to enter.

"Me too," I said with a grin. "So how have you been? I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!"

She fell into step beside me as we walked through the automatic doors. "I've been good, really good. I'm in such a better mindset now than I was last year at this time."

"I'm glad to hear that. You seem happier now."

"I am happier. Gosh Chris, it's just so good to see you!" she said as she slipped her hand through my arm like she always used to when we walked together, looking up at me with a smile. "I've gotta be honest - it's weird seeing you without the beard again."

"Shaving is unfortunately required at the moment," I sighed. "Just as much as my daily workouts."

"I think you're bigger now," she said, her eyes sweeping over me. "In a good way, though."

"Thanks, I think. Hey - do you want to grab a bite to eat after this and catch up? I have so much I want to tell you," I said when we reached the elevator. "There's that great little Italian place a block or two away from here - you remember the one with the killer breadsticks?"

She put one hand over her heart and nodded. "Those were _to die for_ \- I'd love to!"

 

*           *         *

Megan's POV

Chris wasn't there when I got back home after a long day at the studio, which was unusual. He had a couple weeks of down time right now and was catching up on taking it easy - so he was usually here.

My recording session today had went wonderfully and I was incredibly excited to tell him about it - the studio had decided to release one of my new songs right away! As I put my bags away, I remembered he'd said something about an audition today, which meant it could be _hours_ before he was done schmoozing the directors.

I texted Chris to see how it went, but when he didn't reply, I figured things must be going well - or he forgot he put his phone on silent again. I put my money on the latter. It wouldn't be the first time that had happened and it probably wouldn't be the last.

I was just thinking about taking a nice hot bath when I heard I had a new text - but when I checked, it wasn't from Chris. 

** Tom Hiddleston:  ** **_Are you busy tonight?_ **

_Me: No. What's up?_

**_**Tom:** Want to catch a show? _ ** **_I managed to get last_ ** **_minute tickets for a_ ** **_musical I've been_ ** **_wanting to see._ **

_Me: Sounds good to me._ _What time did you want_ _me to meet you?_

**_**Tom :** I'll pick you up at 6 _ ** **_and we can get a bite_ ** **_before the show if that's_ ** **_all right with you?_ **

_Me: Great. See you then._

_I'm at Chris' btw since_ _Baz is moving tomorrow._

**_**Tom:** Right. Sadie told me _ ** **_that last week_ **

I looked at the time and sighed – no time for a bath tonight. I now only had about a half hour to get ready. Tom really hadn't been kidding about the last minute part this time; he usually gave me more notice than this.

*          *

"Tom?" I asked abruptly, my throat tightening painfully as I came crashing down from the high I'd been riding all afternoon.

"What's wrong, darling?" Tom asked before following my line of sight, the smile sliding from his face. "Oh."

Chris and a pretty brunette were perfectly framed by the restaurant window on my side of the street. I'd looked over while our Uber was waiting at the red light, never expecting to see him there. I took a quick photo so I could ask Chris about it later.

"Should...should I be worried? He didn't answer my texts earlier," I said quietly, my voice unsteady.

I typed a short message to Chris and sent it; from where we were, I could see that he didn't even move to check his phone when I knew it had been delivered. I didn't want to have to be that kind of girlfriend - the one who felt a need to constantly check on her boyfriend - but this had really taken me by surprise. I'd wanted to believe that Chris was different and what we had was real...but maybe I'd been wrong. I just didn't know what to think right now.

"Maybe his phone died?" Tom suggested kindly, trying to find a logical explanation.

"Who is she? She looks familiar."

As we watched, Chris took the woman's hand in his with a soft smile and leaned closer to her. I had to look away, blinking fast because the pain in my chest was making it hard to breathe. Tom reached over and took my hand in his, squeezing it lightly.

"I'm pretty sure she was his costar in something recent."

I struggled to catch my breath, determined to not have a breakdown. I knew there was more to the story than that; Tom was trying to spare my feelings. I snapped my fingers as her name came to me. Chris had mentioned they'd dated for a while; he _hadn't_ mentioned that they were still close.

"Jenny Slate."

"Yes, I think that's right."

My head was telling me there was probably a reasonable explanation for what I saw; my heart didn't want to listen to reason right now. Tom put his arm around me and I leaned into him, closing my eyes and just focusing on breathing.

"Megan, darling, do you still want go to the show or do you want to go home?"

"I was really looking forward to seeing this show," I sighed when we started moving again. It was the truth - five minutes ago I'd actually been really excited to see it. "Besides, we're almost there already, Tom."

Tom nodded and kissed the top of my head. "Good girl. Do you mind terribly if we eat after the show?"

I glanced at the time. "Sure. We're going to be cutting it rather close at this rate...and I'm not very hungry right now."

 

* * *

Chris' POV

"Wow – I should let you get going, Chris. It's later than I thought," Jenny said when we'd almost finished another round of drinks. "It's almost 7 already."

"No way - it can't be that late already!" I tossed back the last of my whiskey, already buzzing. I waved over the waiter and gave him my card to pay our tab. That meant we'd been here for almost three hours. She showed me the time and I nodded. "I guess you're right...it is that late."

"Want to share an Uber or a cab?" Jenny suggested. "My place is on the way to yours if you still have the same condo."

"I do - and I can guarantee it doesn't look the same - I painted _and_ decorated, I'll have you know - and not with jerseys and beer signs."

"You didn't!" she laughed, clapping her hands. It had really been a bachelor pad the last time she'd been there almost a year ago.

"I did - and Scott helped."

"Did he pick the colors?" Jenny shrewdly guessed, rummaging in her purse.

"Maybe," I laughed. I signed the slip and set some cash on the table for a tip. "I've got it already, Jen. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Chris – you didn't have to pay! When did you do that?"

"I was sneaky about it - you didn't even see me hand my card off to him. Tell you what - you pick the place next time and I'll let you pay."

"Deal," Jenny said, holding her hand out to me to shake. "This was really fun; I'm so glad I ran into you today."

We continued talking in the car until it we reached Jenny's address. "Here's fine," Jenny told the driver before turning back to me. "Hey - do you want to see what I did with the place?"

"Yeah," I said, making a snap decision – I was already running late, a few more minutes wouldn't matter. "I mean I've heard you tell me so much about it that I kinda want to see the place for myself."

I followed her out of the car and into her apartment; I'd forgotten how much I'd enjoyed spending time with Jenny until today.

"This doesn't even look like the same place anymore," I said as she pointed out the new things. She'd really changed the place from the last time I'd seen it - I wouldn't have believed it was the same apartment if I didn't know better. I turned to face her with a smile. "I love what you've done with it - and you got your throw pillows! Good for you, Jen - you've done what you said you wanted to do."

"Thanks," she said, kissing my cheek right on my dimple. "It feels like I'm finally in a good place, you know?"

She slid her arms around my neck and I hugged her tight; I'd forgotten she liked to be held like this. She leaned into to me with a little noise of contentment, her lips touching the pulse point on my neck and her breath warm on my skin as her scent washed over me, familiar but not intoxicating.

As I held Jenny, I knew I could finally put my mind to rest; things really had changed between us. We were friends before we were lovers and while I would always be fond of Jenny, my heart truly belonged to Megan in every way.

"Yeah, I do know. I should really get going, Jen." I pulled back just enough to see her face.

She gave me a soft smile. "Thanks for everything, Chris. I think I needed this time with you today. We never really _ended_ things, did we?"

"No, we didn't," I agreed slowly. "We just...went on with our lives...and didn't _talk_ anymore. It's like we just drifted apart but there really wasn't a way to make it work back then."

Her chocolate brown eyes searched mine and she took a deep breath. "I don't know how else to say this, Chris." I took her hands in mine and squeezed them encouragingly, giving her my complete attention. "I think that there's a little part of me that will always love you...but I'm not _in love_ with you anymore."

I nodded, understanding what she was trying to tell me and relieved that she felt the same way I did. "I know. Whatever we used to have is gone; I guess it wasn't meant to be."

"No, I guess it wasn't," she said with a small, bittersweet smile. "I don't regret knowing you."

I pulled her in for one last hug, kissing the top of her head. "No regrets here, either. You'd really like my Megan, Jenny."

"She's the one?" Jenny asked when I let go of her.

"Yeah, she is," I said with a smile.

"You've really got it bad," she teased me. "That grin says it all, babe. You're even blushing!"

I laughed, rubbing the back of my neck. "I knew I could count on you to bust my balls."

"Anytime," she laughed, walking me to the door. "Goodnight, Chris. I'll see you around."

*         *

Everything was quiet and dark when I got home; I wondered where Megan was. It was way too early for her to be in bed already but I still poked my head into our bedroom to check anyways, disappointed when she really wasn't there.

I didn't remember her telling me she had plans tonight but maybe she'd stopped by Seb's to get something she'd forgotten yesterday. I pulled out my phone to see if she'd sent me a text and cursed at myself. I'd forgotten that I'd turned my damn phone off during the audition instead of just putting it on silent.

Since Jenny had been at the same audition, I hadn't needed to text her; I hadn't even pulled my phone out of my pocket until now. I turned it back on and my phone went crazy...a whole slew of texts, voicemails and messages came through that I'd missed. I blew out an exasperated breath - I hated it when that happened. It took me twice as long to catch up.

As I walked into the kitchen, I saw the note on the island in Megan's neat cursive.

_Chris -_   
_Went to a show with Tom._   
_Be back later – don't know what time._   
_XOXO Me_

_PS – Take your phone off silent!_

I sighed, knowing she wasn't going to home for quite a while yet. I decided to call my mom; she'd messaged saying she wanted to hear about the audition. I grabbed a beer from the fridge before walking into the living room; it was going to take a while to catch up on all the messages I'd missed. I might as well watch some of the shows I had on the DVR since it was starting to get full and Megan had hinted she'd like to record a couple shows, too.

 

* * *

Megan's POV

It took some fast talking, but I finally convinced Tom that he didn't need to go out of his way to drop me off. But instead of going back to Chris' - I refused to think of it as home - I went to the studio. I needed to work out some of my frustration and I did that best by pounding on the piano.   

I wasn't the only one there - even at this time of night - but Darian just waved me into one of the smaller rooms with just a piano. "Let me know when you're ready for me to record, Megan."

"Thanks - I will. I don't know if there'll be anything worthwhile out of this tonight," I warned him, taking off my coat and hanging it on the hook on the wall.

He snorted. "You're here for a reason," he said, his eyes understanding as he took in my attire - heels and an evening dress. "You can stay as long as you like - no one's booked that room until tomorrow afternoon. Pencils and staff paper are in the bench if you need them."

I nodded. I suppose most people didn't show up in evening gowns to just play piano - not for what studio time cost. I'd negotiated my contract specifically to say that I could use any of the studio's facilities whenever I wanted as long as they weren't booked.

I sat down at the bench and ran through various songs until I started morphing them into my own song. It had been a while since I'd written anything new, but tonight the melody came first for me and I repeated it several times to set it in my mind before scribbling it down and adding the words to it that had been circling in my mind.

When my hand cramped for the second time, I decided to taking a break. I replied to some Snapchats, sending one of my own to Shawn, Ed and some of my other musically inclined friends. I liked my selfie enough to even put it on Instagram, captioning it: _When you can't get a song out of your head until you write it down._

I worked feverishly until I had it all down and ran through it all together a couple times before deciding to record it as a demo. I buzzed Darian. "I'm ready," I said when he answered.

"And here I thought you were snoozing. Let's hear it, babydoll," he drawled, making me roll my eyes at him even though he couldn't see me. "Rolling in five."

I gave him a ten count to be on the safe side before setting my fingers on the keyboard. "Megan Jones, 'I Thought I Knew You,' original composition demo one."

My hands flew, and I'd never played better. This song wasn't like anything I'd ever written before but I was satisfied with it. When I finally finished it, I felt almost emotionally drained as I came down off my adrenaline high.

 

*  *    *

Chris' POV

My phone ringing startled me awake, I must have fallen asleep on the couch. I picked it up off my chest and answered it without looking to see who it was, rubbing at my eyes tiredly.

"Hello?"

"Chris - are you at your place?" Tom Hiddleston asked.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

He didn't answer my question, only asking one of his own in a worried tone. "Is Megan there? She's not answering her phone and I'm concerned about her."

"What time is it?" I asked, sitting up and looking around. I didn't see any shoes by the door, but if she'd worn heels she would have carried them to the room to put them away instead of leaving them by the door.

"It's a little after midnight, but she should be there by now. I just wanted to make sure she got home all right since she said she was fine to go home alone. Her idea, not mine," he said in a tone that meant he'd lost a discussion with her...again.

I found our bed still empty. "She's not here, Tom. Was traffic bad tonight after the show?"

"No worse than usual. Have you talked to her tonight at all?"

"No, I had my phone off for an audition and forgot to turn it on until I got home a couple hours ago. Megan left a note saying you were going to a show, so I didn't want to interrupt."

"Did you check your texts?"

"Still working my way through them. Why? Tom - what's wrong?"

"We saw you tonight, Chris. On the way to the show."

"What do you mean?" I asked, not understanding what he was saying. I hadn't seen Tom anywhere today and I hadn't seen Megan since she'd left this morning.

"We saw you tonight at a restaurant with another woman - dark hair, red blouse."

"Oh," I said. "Yeah - I went with Jenny to get something to eat after the audition and catch up."

"When we saw you, you were holding her hand and leaning in intimately for all the world to see. Megan specifically asked me if she should be worried. Should she be?"

"No! Jenny and I are just friends - nothing more. I told her all about Megan."

"It didn't look like 'just friends', Chris. If she's not home by now, she might not intend to return home. She was quite distressed by the sight."

"I'll find her," I promised Tom. "There's a couple places she might be but promise me you'll let me know if she does call you back before I find her."

"You have my word."

* *

I tried calling Megan, but it went right to voicemail, so I called Sebastian next and woke him up from a deep sleep. When Sebastian hadn't seen her or heard from her recently, I figured the next logical place to check was the 24 hour diner she used to work; maybe she'd decided to stop in and see her friend Emma.

I caught a cab and finished going through my texts, starting with Megan's - what I should have done earlier. I honestly didn't know what to expect right now...she'd never done this before - just not come home and I was more worried than anything else. I had to try and distract myself to keep my anxiety from taking over - she didn't even have her staples out yet from the attack last week.

It wasn't a long cab ride, but I swear everyone I knew had felt the need to text me in that couple hour span. It was way too late to respond to most of them, so I knew what I'd be doing tomorrow. I was just leaving the diner when I saw Megan had a new post on Instagram - she was at the studio. Luckily, I'd been there with her a couple times so I knew it wasn't far from here...and they'd probably let me in...even this time of night. I texted Tom to keep him in the loop. He wasn't going to sleep well until he knew she was all right.

_Me: She's at the studio._ _Heading there now._

**_Tom: I saw the post._ **

**_She still hasn't_ ** **_answered. It goes_ ** **_right to voicemail._ **

_Me: I'll tell her to call you._ _You can yell at her for_ _worrying all of us if Seb_ _doesn't get to her first._

*       *

"I was wondering when you'd get here," Henry, the doorman, said when he buzzed me in, giving me a look. "Miss Jones looked pretty upset when she came in."

"Henry - what time did Megan get here?" I asked, glancing around for any sign of her. "And is she still here? She's not answering her phone and I was starting to worry."

"Around 11, maybe a little before that. She hasn't left but I don't know where she is. Check with Darian - he should know which room she's using tonight."

"Thanks," I said, heading for the control booth. "Hey Darian. Where is she?"

"You look like shit," Darian said, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair, giving me extra attitude. "What'd you do to piss her off?"

"Nothing - I swear - I don't know what she told you, but I'm not going to risk losing her over a stupid misunderstanding."  

The bigger man studied me skeptically. "You better listen to what she recorded tonight first; I'm pretty sure you'll know who she's talking about in this song." He hit a button and I heard Megan's voice speaking. "You might want to sit down," he warned me when the first notes started playing. "She didn't pull any punches on this one."

Darian wasn't kidding. Megan's song literally brought me to my knees and I was almost in tears by the time it ended. Disappointment, betrayal, hurt - it was all spelled out for me with an almost haunting melody.

"Dude, you better be ready to do some groveling."

"I don't even know what to say right now," I said, still reeling from knowing she meant this about me. It was pure luck that I had a chance to come to terms with her current frame of mind before I talked to her tonight.

"I've seen a lot of talent come through here in the ten years I've been here. I know good when I hear it and this song - it's good - _really_ fucking good."

"Where is she? I need to talk to her."

"Room 3, but if she tells me to toss you out, I'll do it."

I nodded, knowing it wasn't an empty threat...and he'd be listening to our conversation.

 

*          *            *

Megan's POV

A motion from the corner of my eye had me glance up from the keys to see Chris letting himself into the room. He didn't say anything right away, just standing there, listening to me play as I ignored him. One glance was enough to make my heart hurt all over again, the pain almost unbearable as I focused on just breathing as my fingers kept moving for a song I knew so well I could play it in my sleep. I wasn't ready to see him; I didn't know what I wanted to say to him other than to ask him how he'd found me.

Chris looked as handsome as ever, his hair rumpled from running his hands through it. He was still wearing the same suit I'd seen him in earlier and it fit him to perfection. I looked back down and continued playing, shifting songs to suit my mood.

"Hey baby," he finally said, his voice a little rougher than usual.

I ignored him and kept playing, blinking fast to try and avoid the inevitable tears. I heard the rustle of fabric as he moved close enough that I could smell his cologne.

"Megan, I know what you think you saw-"

I slammed my hands harshly on the keyboard, cutting him off and making him wince at the discordant noise. I tapped my phone and brought up the picture I'd taken, sliding my phone over to him and starting to play again.

"I'm sorry, what were you lying?"

Chris looked at it and then moved closer, lightly cupping my jaw to force me to look up at him. From this angle, I counted two distinct lipstick marks on his neck and one on his face...I didn't ever wear that particular shade of burgundy.

"Megan, I didn't cheat on you," he said, his voice sounding sincere, but I knew how good of an actor he was. I'd watched him on set often enough to know that.

I pulled my face from his grasp and snatched my phone back to take another picture - focusing on the lipstick marks on his neck and showing it to him. "I think this picture already said a thousand words, Evans."

I watched him rub at his face and neck, smearing the prints and then looking at the color on his hand. I grabbed my coat, having no interest in talking to him further, but he pulled me into his arms, not allowing me to escape.  
  
  


*          *        *

Chris' POV

"Will you please just talk to me, Megan? I'm not going to let you leave without knowing what really happened."

"I don't have anything more to say to you. Let me go!"

I pulled her into my arms and put them around her firmly. "No, not until you listen to me."

"Then start talking," she snarled, glaring up at me, the shininess of her eyes and the slight wobble of her lower lip telling me that she was still on the brink of tears. Guilt stabbed at me and I hadn't even done anything _wrong_.

"I ran into Jenny at the audition today and we went to get something to eat while we caught up. Just dinner, nothing more." I felt her relax slightly and loosened my grip. "I didn't realize I'd turned my phone off until I got home but by then you were already at the show and I didn't want to interrupt. Believe me, I won't make that mistake again."

She snorted quietly, remembering that incident quite well. Her eyes went to the marks I didn't know I'd had until she'd showed me. "And the... the lipstick?"

"She's taller than you, so when I hug her like _this_ , and she faces my neck," I explained, changing position to put Megan in the right spot - which meant her lips were at my neck. "I know for a fact this was a goodbye kiss." I pointed at my face. "Megan, Jenny's known I was with you even before I saw her today - even before they ran our interview in _People_ \- and I told her I stole you from Seb and you were living with me now."

"I find lipstick marks anywhere else on you we're through," she said flatly, pushing back from me.

I cupped her face between my hands, staring into her beautiful eyes. "You won't, baby. We're just friends - and not the kind with benefits, either. I promise."

"I won't stay with a cheater, Chris. You know that-"

"I know it _looks_ bad, but there's nothing between me and Jenny anymore." Her eyes searched mine and I knew the moment she believed me. "I love you, Megan. No one else - only you." I kissed her gently, feeling the tension melting from her as she leaned into me, deepening the kiss. "Come home, baby. I missed you."

*           *

"I love you, baby," I murmured, her forest green eyes holding mine. "You know that, right?"

Megan looked at me for a long moment and opened her mouth to say something but shut it again, her eyes cutting to the driver and then back to me. I took her small hand in mine and brought it to my lips, brushing a firm kiss over her knuckles.

She looked away, her teeth worrying her full bottom lip as she thought. I brought one hand up to cup her face, dragging my thumb over her lip to free it. My motives were partially selfish - it bothered me when she bit into her lip hard enough that she'd break the skin; I fucking hated tasting blood when I kissed her.

Her reaction to that motion gave me the biggest insight into her mood. I knew I wasn't completely out of the doghouse when she didn't playfully nip at me, or affectionately nuzzle my hand, or teasingly kiss my thumb. Instead she set her sharp teeth into my thumb, biting just hard enough to get my attention, my eyes cutting back to hers as I pulled my thumb free.

"I was planning on coming home...eventually," she said quietly, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the worn leather seat. That didn't make me feel any better and I felt my anxiety rising again, threatening to choke me. "You didn't need to come looking for me, Chris."

"Where would you have gone if you didn't come home?" I asked, my voice somehow calmer than I felt, a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

When she didn't answer right away, I reached over and brushed the back of my hand over her cheek. She opened her eyes and caught me in her emerald gaze, the city lights illuminating them. She shrugged lightly, breaking eye contact as she turned to look out the window.

"Doesn't matter anymore, does it?"

That wasn't meant to make me feel better, I knew. I replayed her words in my mind and while she'd agreed to come home; she hadn't agreed to stay. Maybe I was just overthinking things, maybe she'd meant both. I needed to distract myself, so I changed the subject.

"You should really call Tom," I said. "He was worried when you weren't answering your phone earlier."

 

*        *           *

Megan's POV

I pulled out my phone and noticed that in addition to it being really late, I had several missed calls from Chris, Tom _and_ Sebastian. I hadn't actually _looked_ at the screen earlier, just bypassed it from the home screen and went straight to the camera.

Even after a couple months, I still wasn't used to how protective my male friends were; they only wanted me to be safe but sometimes I felt a little smothered after being completely on my own for so long. I felt a little better knowing they did the same things to Scarlett, Lizzie and Sadie, too - so it wasn't just to annoy me.

I'd talked to Sebastian earlier in the day, so I assumed that call was Chris' doing. I sent him a quick text before calling Tom. He picked up on the first ring and I felt guilty that he'd obviously waited up for me when he needed to be getting up for the day in a couple hours.

"Hey Tom; it's me."

"Megan," he exhaled loudly in relief. "Thank God! I was getting worried when you didn't answer earlier. Did Chris find you or do I need to come get you?"

"Breathe, Tom," I said quickly. His voice conveyed more agitation than I was used to hearing from him. He was usually the calm one of the group next to Sebastian. "I'm with Chris now. I'm really sorry for worrying you. I put my phone on 'do not disturb' while I was writing and didn't keep it near me."

"It's just after what happened last week-"

"I'm so sorry- I didn't even think about that, Tom," I said with a wince, understanding why he'd been so concerned. "I just...had a lot on my mind tonight."

He paused for a second before responding. "I understand darling; I was simply concerned when I couldn't reach you and Chris didn't know where you were. I know I have no claim on you-"

I never intended to worry him, but it was too late now. "You're my friend, Tom - you have every right to be concerned. I was pretty upset earlier."

I felt Chris brush a kiss over my temple, his lips lingering briefly. "Did you and Chris work things out?" Tom asked just before my phone beeped with another incoming call. I glanced at the screen to see who it was and knew I couldn't ignore this call when I saw the photo displayed there.

"Kind of," I hedged. "Hey Tom, Baz is beeping in and I need to talk to him. I'll call you later today, okay?"

"All right. Good night, darling."

"Night Tom," I said, ending that call and accepting Sebastian's. "Hey Baz-"

"What the hell is going on, Roşu?! Chris woke me up saying he couldn't find you and you weren't answering your phone or messages!"

"Why did he call you?" I asked before looking up at Chris. "Why did you call Baz?"

"I panicked," Chris said, raising a hand helplessly. I pinned Chris with a look and he only raised his eyebrows. "It was justified!"

"Yeah, you could say that again," Sebastian said, clearly having heard Chris' response. " _Especially_ after last week. Where were you?"

"At the studio."

"I thought you were going to some musical with Tom tonight?"

"I went back to the studio after that," I explained with a sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. The cab came to a stop outside Chris' condo and I climbed out and tried to wrap up the call already. It was late and I was tired; all I wanted was a hot shower and sleep. "Look, we just got back to Chris' and I'm really tired. Can I call you later today?"

"Yeah. You sure you don't need me to beat his ass for you?"

"I'm good for now, but thanks for the offer."

"What did Seb want?" Chris asked curiously when I hung up.

"To know if I wanted him to beat you for me," I said with a smirk, watching for his response; he didn't disappoint.

"What?!" He shot me a look. _"Why?"_ It took me a minute to stop laughing, deciding I didn't need to explain it. "He was my friend first," Chris muttered under his breath as he unlocked the door.

* *       

My thoughts were a jumbled mess as I stepped into the shower, the water set hotter than I normally turned the dial to as I stood there, hoping it would thaw me. I gasped when Chris stepped in a couple minutes later; I hadn't been expecting him to join me. I couldn't stop myself for looking for other marks on him, but when I didn't see any I let myself relax.

"Baby, what are you thinking?" he asked, putting his arms around me. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"I was thinking on the way here."

"And?"

"I was having a great day until about 7 o'clock. Recording went great - we got all of the other songs finished today...and they decided to release another one of my new songs next week."

"That's great!" Chris said, his face lighting up with excitement. "That's like the third one already, right?"

"Yeah," I agreed, reaching for the shampoo so I could wash my hair.

"Let me," Chris said, holding out a hand for the shampoo. "I know it's still a little hard for you to not touch your staples. I'll be glad when you get them out in a couple days."

"Me too," I sighed. 

I closed my eyes and let Chris lather up my hair, his long fingers massaging my scalp and gently skirting my staples. He was standing close enough that I could feel him starting to get aroused by the contact - nothing turned him on faster than when I allowed him to take care of me. I knew if I met his eyes, the cobalt would be nothing more than a thin ring around the edge of his pupils.  He turned me so I could rinse my hair out and his hard cock nudged my belly imperiously.   
  
  


*         *            *

Chris' POV

I groaned as Megan took me in her small hand and slowly slid it up and down my cock. I watched her sharp eyes search my body for marks that I knew wouldn't be there. It wasn't that she didn't believe me, but she needed to see with her own eyes that I hadn't been with another woman.

I covered her lips with my own, wrapping one arm around her as and sliding one hand down her sleek, wet skin. I teased her tongue with mine, her tell kicking in as my fingers brushed over her clit, getting her good and wet for me.

With one swift movement, I picked Megan up and she obligingly wrapped her legs around my waist. I pressed her into the shower wall, rubbing my hard cock over her smooth cunt, teasing her that little bit more until she was impatiently rolling her hips as an invitation to come inside her until she caught the tip. The way she kissed me, I knew she didn't want soft words and gentle touches tonight, she wanted hard and fast with nothing in between us. The soft words would come later, after we were satisfied.

She gasped as my throbbing cock slid into her all the way, drawing a groan from me because she felt so good, so damn good. I gave her everything she wanted, her gasps as I hit her g-spot turning into moans. Her eyes held mine as she came, her climax triggering my own release.

"I love you," I murmured, capturing her lips. "I love you so damn much, baby."

"I love you too," she said between kisses, her arms tight around my neck.

"I can't believe you got me that fast, baby."

"Someone was a little turned on," she teased as she wriggled against me and I set her down with a grin, and I held her tight to me, her head on my chest.

"You mean you?" I kissed her shoulder with a smile as she started laughing at me. 

*     *     

I realized my shirt still faintly smelled of Jenny's perfume as I put it in the dry cleaning pile - that certainly hadn't helped my cause earlier. I finished my nightly routine and turned off the bathroom lights to crawl into bed beside Megan, who was looking at her phone with a little frown between her eyebrows.

"So correct me if I'm wrong, but your audition was at 11am. You've literally had _all day_ to tell me you were going out to dinner with Jenny, Chris," she said slowly, looking over at me. "It wasn't exactly a last second decision; you could have at least sent me a text."

I froze, seeing where she was heading with this. We'd had this same conversation before - just with the roles reversed. The irony wasn't lost on me and part of me wondered if she was doing this to be annoying or because she thought it was funny. A quick glimpse at her expression only showed disappointment, and I felt guilty all over again for disappointing her.

"When were you going to tell me, Chris? Were you even planning on telling me?"

"What is there to tell?" I asked, rubbing my hands over my face. I was utterly unprepared for this line of questioning. "I met up with an old friend at the audition and we decided to spend some time catching up after we got done. It was a long one, so we were there for a couple hours. I'm pretty sure I've got the part but I don't know that for a fact yet."

She considered me for a long moment. "There's a difference between an old friend and an ex," she finally said. "Remember?"

How could I forget? Megan had run into an ex in the Denver airport the last time she'd flown home to her parent's house. They'd went for coffee because he was flying out and I might have said a few things I shouldn't have when she'd told me about it later that night...but she'd told me.

"I remember," I admitted. I reached up and smoothed out the frown line. "I'm sorry."

Megan set her phone down and turned off the lamp on the nightstand, the room going pitch black. She turned away from me instead of laying her head on me like she usually did. I rolled towards her and put my arm around her, breathing in her scent like I'd never get to smell it again.

"I'm sorry, Megan. I should have told you - there's no excuse for me."

"Do you still love her?"

"No," I said with just enough of a pause before it that it didn't sound reflexive. "Only you, baby. I can't imagine what my life would be without you - and I don't want to."

"I love you, Chris, but I'm finding it hard to trust you," Megan said flatly. "And you really don't make it easy when you come home smelling like another woman's perfume and wearing her lipstick - fucking idiot!"

I winced - yes, I was a fucking idiot; I deserved everything she threw at me right now for hurting her like that. "Mea Culpa! I'm getting better, baby. Old dogs can learn new tricks, you know. Look at Dodger - he finally learned not to knock you over."

"You know you just called yourself old, right?" she giggled. "Old man."

"Don't make me spank you," I threatened, using my Steve voice and grinning to myself when I felt her quick intake of breath.

I felt myself hardening again as she wriggled against me and I tongued the edge of her ear in the way that always made her weak in the knees. I'd have to work at getting her trust, but at least she wasn't leaving me.

 


	30. Good News

Megan's POV

"And then you're pretty much free for the next month or so until you need to start shooting that new movie you're doing with Chris," I said as I finished going over Sadie's schedule with her through FaceTime. "Can I just say how _weird_ it's gonna be to watch you making out with my boyfriend?"

"You think it's going to be weird for _you_?" Sadie asked with a laugh. " _You_ don't have to make out with your best friend and pretend you're attracted to him like that. It was such a great script, though - I just couldn't pass it up."

"You win," I sighed, then laughed as Sadie did a little victory dance in her chair. "And I can't wait to see it when it's all done. Change of subject – what are you going to do with all your free time?"

"Catch up on everything here at home," Sadie sighed, sitting back down. "And watch some high school sports. Wrestling season still isn't over yet. So how long do you think you're going to stay my PA? I really don't have a lot for you to do for a while."

"That's okay – I could really use some down time. I didn't know how much work it would be to put out an album and we're not even close to being done yet." I'd done a lot of thinking, knowing this question would be coming eventually. Chris would be ecstatic that I didn't need to leave him for a while yet. "I think I can make it work for sure until the end of your next film; after that you really won't need me anymore."

"Well, I wouldn't say _that_."

I rolled my eyes at my boss and laughed. " _Sadie_."

She shrugged and took a sip of her coffee. "So maybe I like having you around, Megan. I'll keep you as long as you want."

"I'm pretty sure I'll still be around," I said with a grin and Sadie smirked knowingly.

"Chris still trying to get you to think...umm...permanent?"

"Yeah, he is," I admitted, exhaling slowly.

"So you must've worked everything out the other night. Chris seemed more relieved than anything else when I talked to him yesterday. I think he was convinced you were going to break up with him."

I tapped at my phone and texted her the picture; even though it bothered me the way he looked at his ex, I just couldn't seem to make myself delete it. Looking at it was kind of like poking a bruise to see if it still hurt - and it did.

"I'm sending you a picture I took that night and you can tell me what you would've thought." I waited for Sadie to receive it and watched her expressions. They didn't disappoint.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd be calling him right now to yell at him for being stupid. I really hope you made him work for forgiveness," Sadie said, looking at me sympathetically.

"Let's just say I now understand why people say makeup sex is so great," I replied, feeling myself flush as Sadie just laughed in a way that made me blush even more and I was positive she understood what I meant.

"Knowing Chris, I'm pretty sure the sex is always great," she said with a wry smile as she took another drink of her coffee. "But yeah, there's a reason people say that."

"I really thought it was the end for us; honest to God, I was ready to walk, Sadie."

"I listened to the song you sent me," Sadie said, nodding. "I think it really helped Chris understand how you felt."

"What did _you_ think?"

"If that doesn't top at least one chart, I'd be amazed. Are you going to record it or does the label want it for someone else?"

"I don't know yet," I said, twirling a lock of hair around my finger idly. "I think it sounded like they have another artist in mind to record it, which is probably for the best. You know how bad the speculation is gonna be if I put that song out?"

Dating Chris wasn't exactly a walk in the park at the best of times. With all the publicity going on for the Marvel movies right now, things had gotten even worse. The _Black Panther_ premiere was coming up and that meant we couldn't even get a freaking cab most of the time without Chris getting recognized. Or me now that my song with Shawn had been in the top 10 for so long. Given the amount of reporters, fans, and media sites I had to deal with every time we went out for the night, we'd been staying in a lot lately just to avoid the hubbub. 

"Yeah...that's kinda why I was asking," Sadie said, looking relieved. "I know you guys went public with your relationship, but that song will have the gossip sites breathing down your neck hardcore because where there's smoke-"

"There's fire," I finished. "That's exactly what I want to avoid, so I've went along with it. Either way my song gets out and I get paid for it."

"So don't tell him I told you, but I think Sebastian misses having you around. He'll never admit it, but it was good for him too, you being there. If he spends too much time alone he starts overthinking things and gets caught in his own head."

"Yeah, he does sometimes," I agreed. "I was happy staying with Baz. He's like the big brother I never had...and he's nicer to me than my real brothers."

Sadie studied me for a moment. "Give it some time – it takes a while to get used to living with someone new."

"I know. It's kinda nice waking up to Chris in the morning and knowing neither of us has to leave...and I don't have to always pack an overnight bag."

Sadie smiled and raised her eyebrows. "Good point. You know, Megan, Chris has changed a lot – for the better – since he's been with you. I even think he's getting control over his anxiety again."

I was ready to be done talking about me, so I changed the subject again. "And what about Baz? How's life at the lake treating him?"

"It's been good for both of us. We've kind of got a routine going and I'm going to miss him when he has to leave next week. I know he can't be here for long with how busy we both are right now – but it's been really nice to be able to have some time just for us."

"And the boys? They like having him around still?"

"Yeah, I think they do; mostly because I think they've missed having a man in the house. Liam tries, but it's not his place and I don't want him to take on too much. He's just a kid...I don't want him to have to grow up too fast."

"He's already pretty grown up, Sadie," I observed. "Liam thinks you're happier when Baz is there."

"You've talked to him recently?" Sadie asked, looking surprised. "I mean I knew they both have your number in their phones-"

"Yeah, we text and Snap occasionally," I said. I got along well with Sadie's kids and I think they saw me as an older cousin or something. They certainly treated me like family – and not just because I was dating Chris. "Isaac too. They know I don't mind if they send me stuff. I get more pictures of bugs than anything else from Isaac." I made a face thinking about the last picture he'd sent me of the creepy crawlies he'd found.

"Sounds about right," Sadie laughed. "And rocks?"

"Yup...and Lego creations. I think he said he's gonna be either a geologist or an architect; I can't remember which one he said most recently."

"Me either. It changes weekly."

"So what's next for you and Baz? I know he convinced you to stay with him when you come to town from now on. He was pretty pumped about that."

Sadie sighed deeply and looked down at her hands - and I noticed she wasn't wearing her wedding ring anymore, which gave me hope. I knew she still missed Justin and always would; she was still grieving in her own way. I noticed on the days she was quiet and a little more distant because I knew her well by now – but others wouldn't – and thankfully those days were fewer now than when I'd first started working for Sadie.

I wanted to do a happy dance that she was finally ready to be open to fully accepting Sebastian. It was hard to resist that persistent level of love and affection – I knew from experience because Chris and Sebastian were cut from the same cloth, which is why they got along so well.

"I've talked Sebastian into waiting a little longer to go public with our relationship," Sadie was saying when I focused on her again. "I love him, but I'm just not ready to take the next step. I want to be, but I'm just not there yet."

I heard a noise in the background. "Sounds like Baz is home already from the gym, so I better let you go. I wanna get a shower in before Chris gets back."

"Hey kid," Sebastian said, coming over to lean over Sadie, his hands on her shoulders. "Nice jammys."

"Aren't they?" I laughed, looking down at the shirt of Chris' I was wearing right now. "So glad I can't smell you right now, Baz." I could tell he'd worked hard at they gym judging by how damp his shirt looked, which meant I knew from experience just how bad he stank.

"Lucky you," Sadie said sourly, holding her nose. "Go shower please, Sebastian! You reek!"

"Join me?" I heard him ask her as I cut the connection, a little grin on my face. It was nice, seeing them acting like this and not so serious all the time.   
  
  


* * *

Chris' POV

Megan wasn't home yet by the time I was done for the day, but I didn't really expect her to be there. She wasn't due to be landing for another half hour, which left me just enough time to put together a nice meal for us. I'd picked up some fresh bread from the little bakery around the corner from the theater on my way home and I knew we had everything for spaghetti.

I'd just finished rinsing off the dirty pans in the sink when I heard Megan coming in the door. I walked over to see her unzipping her boots and hanging up her coat.

"Hey baby," I said, giving her a smile. "How was your flight?"

"Same as usual. Something smells good – what did you make?" she asked as she came up to me and put her arms around my waist, tipping her head back for a kiss.

"Your lips are cold. Just some spaghetti – my mom's recipe."

"Mhhh," she murmured, kissing me again. "Yours are nice and warm. I'm going to wash my hands."

I reluctantly let go of her and went to pour us some wine. I'd just set the plates on the island right before she'd gotten home, along with the sliced bread and a bowl of the seasoned dipping oil with balsamic vinegar we liked. I was a little concerned that Megan looked so tired, but I supposed it had been a long day for her – and most of it had been spent traveling, so she'd brought work along to keep her busy...and stressed.

"So how did your appointment go?" I finally asked when we were almost done eating. Megan gave me a smile and finished her wine before pouring another glass.

"You lasted longer than I thought you would," she teased, giving me grin. "But it went well, I think."

"No new growths?" I asked as I started to pile together our dishes, worried she was leaving something out.

Megan met my eyes, searching my face. "None – and Dr Kay said everything's looking great, so I'm all healed now."

"That's great news!" I picked her up and gave her a hug, Megan squealing as her feet left the floor and then giggling as I swung her around. I kissed her forehead as I set her back down again, happy to hear that; I'd hoped that was going to be what the doctor said. "What did she say about Scotland?"

Megan rested her head on my arm. "That I did the right thing by going to get checked out, but there was nothing she would've done differently. She was just glad I'd had almost a month to heal before that happened because I could've done a lot of damage if I'd done that even a week sooner."

"So what else did she tell you?" I probed as I set the dishes beside the sink, afraid of what she was going to tell me.

Usually it wasn't a good sign if she didn't volunteer information. Megan knew what I was asking; we'd talked about the future a little more before she'd left for her appointment and I'd asked Megan to start _thinking_ about having a baby - just thinking. I understood that she wasn't quite ready yet and I'd rather we were married first before starting a family, but we had time.

"I got the all clear from my doctor today." Megan looked up at me with a smile. "If you still want a baby, Chris, we can start trying in about a month."

"Just a month? Are you sure?" I asked, staring into her beautiful forest green eyes and holding her by the shoulders. My voice was shaking with the intensity of my emotions; I'd never wanted anything more. "Megan, you better not be fucking with me."

"I'm not messing with you, honey." She went up on tiptoe to kiss me and I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her and deepening the kiss. "Dr Kay said that the longer we wait, the less likely it is that I'll be able to get pregnant. It still might never happen, Chris. You know that, right?"

"I know." I kissed her deeply until we needed to come up for breath. "I know, but I'm willing to try if that's what you want."

"I think I want to try...I'm just...afraid."

"Of what, baby?"

"That it won't work and that all this was for nothing."

Megan touched her belly right where I knew her incision scar was. Sadie had talked her out of getting a tattoo there for now, reminding her that if she ever did have kids, that skin would stretch...and so would her tattoo.

"I wouldn't say it was for nothing - you had to get those growths removed no matter what," I pointed out, covering her hand with my own. "Megan, I can't imagine anyone else I'd want to have a family with; not one single person."

"Not even Jenny?"

"Not even Jenny," I said sincerely, staring into her eyes. "Just you."

"I love you - you know that, right?" she said, stroking my face lightly.

"Yeah, I do," I said with a smile. "You and me, we're endgame, baby. I love you so, so much."

 

*        *           *

Megan's POV

"What do you want to do first after we get checked in?" I asked when we finally arrived at Big Sky for our extended weekend getaway. "Our cabin is supposed to be ready for us already."

I gave him directions to where we would get our keys - that was still the same as I remembered it. I hadn't been to Montana since last year, but everything still felt the same. I was looking forward to spending some time with Chris while neither of us had to be working on anything pressing...and doing something different for a change.

"How about we get our equipment squared away?" he suggested, looking around with a huge grin on his face. I knew this was a great gift for him; it was pretty obvious he was enjoying this - maybe even more than I was.

"After we get unloaded? We don't have room for our gear otherwise."

I swore they'd given us the smallest four-wheel drive vehicle ever made, but there hadn't been much for selection since our plane had gotten in so late. I'd talked Chris into getting some groceries in town before leaving since we had a fully equipped kitchen in our cabin, pointing out the fact that then we wouldn't have to go out in public if we didn't want to.

Unfortunately the groceries - combined with our three large suitcases containing our winter gear and two carry-ons - about maxed out the carrying capacity of the small SUV, so there was no way we were going to be able to fit equipment in as well right now. 

Chris looked back at the full cargo area and nodded, deciding I was right. "Yeah - there's no way we're getting two sets of anything in here with all that, but at least that way we can just get up and go tomorrow morning."

He parked the vehicle and we got out, stretching after the hour long drive. He took my hand in his as we walked up the steps to the office. "I think it's a little too late to hit the slopes today anyway; I forgot how dark it gets here without the light pollution of the city."

*          *

"You know how to snowboard?" Chris asked incredulously as I was picking out my equipment, having decided I wanted to snowboard the first day and then ski after that. I knew from experience that I'd be too sore to want to snowboard if I skied first.

"Yup - my brothers made me learn when we were kids. Do you?"

"I took lessons for when we were filming _The Fantastic Four_ ," he said with a grin.

"Of course you did," I smirked, rolling my eyes at him. "I've seen that movie...how much of that was actually you?"

"Very little. They told me it was too dangerous for anyone other than a professional."

"Good."

He snorted. "That's what Sadie said, too."

"I'm not surprised," I said, ruffling his hair as he leaned over to check the fit of his boots. Rapid movement from the other side of the room had me glancing that way and mentally groaning. "Don't look now babe, but you've been spotted again."

"That's what - four times already today?" Chris sighed, taking the boots off and handing them to the worker who was assisting us, along with his bank card. "These ones fit the best, Cheyenne. I'll take them and everything else we picked out."

"Do you want them loaded in your vehicle, Mr Evans?"

"That would be great, thank you." He handed over his keys as well, turning on his megawatt smile.

"No problem," the man replied, gathering up the gear we'd picked out for the week.

"You know, maybe it's _you_ they spotted this time," Chris said, turning that smile on me. As much as I'd like to say I was immune to it, I'd be lying. "That song you just released has already cracked the top ten."

I shook my head, knowing it wasn't me they were after. "16-18 year old females...nope - they've got major heart-eyes for you, babe... and maybe even a little drool going on."

"Do you think they'll go away if I ignore them?"

"Not a chance," I said with a smirk, seeing them approach from the corner of my eye. "Be nice and I'll make it worth your while."

"Worth my while," he repeated with a wicked grin on his lips, his eyes dancing. "Oh really? So you'll do _anything_ I want?"

"I'm feeling a little adventurous today," I murmured as I looked up at him through my eyelashes teasingly. I knew better than to play with fire - I really did - but sometimes I just couldn't resist taunting him...and I might have noticed _what_ he'd packed when he thought I wasn't looking. I could never get enough of him - and he didn't seem to think that was a bad thing.

"You don't say?" he drawled in a way that made my cheeks flush. His eyes held mine and his heated gaze promised me he wouldn't let me forget what I'd said any time soon.

"But if you don't feel up for it -" I moved to walk away from him, only to be suddenly pulled into his arms and held firmly against his hard chest, his strong arms trapping me in place.

"You're _not_ abandoning me to them, baby," he pleaded, holding my eyes with his intense steel blue ones. "Stay."

"Demanding, aren't we?" I raised an eyebrow at him, my lips quirking. "You're lucky I love you."

His smile grew wider because he knew I wasn't really going to abandon him to his fangirls if I told him that. "I know I am," Chris said in a low voice just for me, reluctantly letting go as they reached us.  
  
  


*           *        *

Chris' POV

Megan's eyes held mine while I kitten licked her clit and eased two fingers inside her hot, wet cunt. I loved the way she watched me when I was between her legs, making it an even more erotic experience for both of us. Her shallow breathing and blown pupils told me just how much she was liking what she saw and the restless motion of her fingers in my hair told me how turned on she was already.

"How adventurous _are_ you feeling, baby?" I asked as I slid one finger down her perineum, circling her hole and tapping it firmly.

"Not quite what I had in mind...I've never done _that_ before," she said when she realized what I was asking, her eyes widening.

"I'll show you," I murmured, kissing back up her smooth skin and capturing her lips. "If you want. Do you trust me?"

"I trust you," she said when I broke the kiss and grinned in response. "How long have you been wanting to do this?"

"Are you sure you want me to answer that?" I murmured around her nipple. "I can use my mouth to talk or-" I moved quickly and blew a raspberry between her breasts, making her attempt to shove me away from her.

"Fuck you, Evans!" she growled, trying to squirm away from me.

She was fighting back the giggles as I did it again before moaning loudly when I started teasing her nipples again. I clicked on a little fingertip vibrator and focused on making her eyes roll back in pleasure and keeping her too occupied to get her hands on me. I teased her until she was fully relaxed again before starting to work on properly opening her incredibly tight hole for me.

Megan was begging me to fuck her by the time I had her ready. My cock was throbbing painfully with need; between the foreplay and the mere anticipation of being inside her like that, I was already dripping precum.  I didn't think I'd been this turned on since the last time we'd experimented with new toys. I quickly rolled on the condom and lubed myself up good before propping myself on the pillows.

"Come here, baby," I said, pulling her up so she could crawl on top of me. I kissed her deeply as I guided myself into her.

"Just like this," I rasped, easing into her slowly. "You get to decide how much you're ready for. It's better to take it slow at first."

"Fuck Chris - you're so fucking big," she gasped, her eyes tight with discomfort. I circled her clit with my thumb until her muscles relaxed, letting me slide in more. My other hand played with her nipples, rolling and tweaking just how she liked best.

"You're so tight, baby...feels so good," I groaned. "Color?" I asked while I could still think straight.

She cupped my face with both hands, kissing me deeply and sliding down a little more. "Green," she moaned against my lips. "Definitely green."

Her legs trembled as she started getting close, the small motions making her sink down more, taking more of me than I thought she'd be able to. I trailed open-mouthed kisses down her neck, laving and sucking on her nipples. She gasped in pleasure and moments later I slid home with a deep groan, barely keeping from blowing my load. She was so fucking tight I was going to lose my mind.

She threw her head back, moaning my name as her fingers speared my hair and gripped my shoulders, little tremors running through her. I couldn't stay still any longer and started moving, short slow strokes that had her gasping, her body shuddering against me with pleasure as she fought her need to orgasm. I loved watching her climax - her eyes closing and head falling back, lips parted slightly as she panted.

She clenched her inner muscles around my cock, her beautiful forest green eyes held mine as she rode me until her climax caught her, her lips capturing mine as I pulled her tight, unable to hold back any longer - she felt too good. I groaned against her lips, dropping my head to her shoulder as I groaned loudly, filling the condom.

"Holy shit!" Megan gasped against my neck, breathing hard.

I pressed a kiss to her jaw. "I love watching you come apart for me, baby."

"Never thought I'd like that," she said, snuggling into me, utterly spent.

"It sure looked like you enjoyed having my dick in your ass."

"I did," she said, sounding surprised, moving just enough that I left her body and making a face at how it felt. "That part - not so much."

"Sorry, can't help that part." I rubbed my face against her shoulder, kissing it before capturing her lips. I was just glad that she was willing to try new things with me; her relative inexperience was still a huge turn-on. "You just like me for my huge dick," I accused her in a mock offended voice.

"Yup, that's it," she yawned, kissing my neck. "Caught me."

"I love you baby," I said, kissing her face. "So much."

"Hmm," she murmured, already almost asleep. I must have gotten her really good, I determined contentedly. The more intensely she orgasmed, the faster she fell asleep and the harder she slept; nothing made me as satisfied as knowing just _how good_ I could make her feel. I shifted her to the side so I could get us cleaned up; Megan wouldn't wake for a while.

*    *

"Eat powder, Evans!" Megan yelled as she maneuvered past me on the slope, getting me back for spraying her with snow earlier. Who'd have thought my accident prone darling girlfriend was so accomplished on snow - and _graceful?_   She'd certainly enjoyed watching my jaw drop when she'd literally done circles around me the first time down the slope.

"It's on, Jones!" I yelled back, my competitive nature getting the best of me.

We only managed a half-dozen runs after our late start before they had to close the slopes for poor visibility. Another blizzard was moving in and in a matter of minutes conditions had went from perfect to terrible. We were some of the last ones making the run down - the lifts had dropped us at the black diamond because the double black diamond runs were already shut down.

We had to stop when we reached the blue crossover - someone had an accident and ski patrol was just getting them loaded onto the sled to take them down. They waved us on ahead, indicating we should stay on the green course all the way down instead of cutting through the black diamond half pipe to the blue course that put us closer to our cabin.

"Last one down's a rotten egg!" I said when we started moving again.

"Is that the best you've got old man?" she taunted, goosing me as she passed me up.

"Fuck you, Jones!"

She laughed loudly. "You already do, Evans. Catch me if you can!"

We were laughing when we reached the bottom and I wished I could stay in this moment forever. I managed to take a couple pictures of her without her noticing before she pulled me in for a selfie. She looked so beautiful with snowflakes on her eyelashes, pink cheeks and a huge smile on her face.

*         *

I finally talked Megan into leaving the warm cocoon of blankets she'd worked herself into when we were taking a nap on the couch.

"It's time to get dressed for dinner, baby. I've got reservations for an hour from now."

"At the main lodge?"

"Yup. Did you bring that blue dress with?"

"Which one? You have to be more specific; I have a lot of blue dresses, honey."

"The Valentino one you wore to the Black Panther premiere?" I asked hopefully. That one had been one of my all time favorite dresses on her.

She laughed. "No, I still have to get the straps fixed that you broke. Good thing you could afford that dress," she teased me as she headed to the bathroom.

"I didn't know my own strength," I hollered after her.

"Sure, Steve," she teased. "Keep telling yourself that."

I smiled as I went to get changed; I may have been a _little_ eager to get her out of it after the premiere, but she'd looked so damn good in it I couldn't help myself. Buying the dress had been worth it.

* *

I probably touched my pocket at least 20 times on our way out the door, reassuring myself that the little velvet box was still there. Luckily, Megan was preoccupied on the way there with responding to the backlog of emails she'd been ignoring for the past two days so she didn't notice how nervous I was tonight. I'd even memorized what I wanted to say. Learning lines was easy - writing them was the hard part. There was so much I wanted to say that we'd be there all night if I said everything.

"We're here," I said, chuckling when she looked around in surprise.

"Sorry, Chris; that took longer than I thought it would," Megan said with an apologetic smile as she put her phone away and got out of the SUV. "So many _emails_ ," she groaned.

"It's okay, baby. Just because we're on vacation doesn't mean the rest of the world is."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that one out on my own, Ace," Megan said as we handed over our coats to be hung up for us and followed the host to our table; they'd recognized me on sight. She looked beautiful in the dress she'd picked out for tonight. It wasn't one I'd seen before, but that color of cerulean against her alabaster skin was stunning in the faux candlelight; I couldn't tear my eyes from her.

"Our next vacation better be somewhere warm," she said as we looked through the menu. "I love skiing and snowboarding - I just hate the cold." I laughed as she shivered theatrically and ran her hands over her arms.

"It's not _that_ cold, baby."

"Not all of us are as hot blooded as you," she pouted, that lower lip jutting out teasingly.

"You think I'm hot?" I smirked.

"That's not what I said. Your ego's big enough already - I don't need to feed it too," she said with straight face before turning to the waiter to order a drink and an appetizer.

I managed to keep it together long enough to put in my drink order before laughing at her response. I loved that she'd give as good as I gave her - sometimes even better; I knew it took a special woman to put up with me like she did.

"Why you little minx," I said when I finally quit laughing. I reached over and took her hand in mine, not caring who could see us right now.

"Have you decided what you're having tonight?" she asked, a little smirk on her lips because she knew she'd gotten to me again.

"You," I said, giving her a heated look, watching her flush as that sank in.

*     *

We'd just finished eating when the band started playing the same song I'd danced to with Megan for the first time. She noticed it too, her smile widening slightly.

"Did you do this?"

I merely held my hand out to her with a grin. "I believe this is my dance, Miss Jones."

"So it is, Mr Evans," she laughed, giving me her hand and linking fingers with me. Her eyes were sparkling as she tossed her hair back over her shoulders, giggling as I spun her easily while we made our way out onto the dance floor.

I starting guiding her through the moves, remembering the first time we'd danced like this. We'd always danced well together; Megan fit so perfectly in my arms and followed my lead instinctively. She went along with whatever move I started, a wide smile on her face the whole time. Her green eyes were more emerald than forest tonight, I determined as our eyes met time and again.

Megan laughed in delight as I flipped her and tossed her like we'd practiced before we went on _Ellen_ ; she said those moves were always her favorite. Her last spin as the song ended brought her back into my arms and I kissed her lightly. The music changed into a slower song and it took her only a couple bars to notice it was one of her own songs the band was playing. She pulled back enough to be able to see my face.

"Christopher Robin, you put them up to this, didn't you?"

"Maybe, Pooh Bear. Maybe," I said with a grin as I started moving her through the slower steps. "You belong here, in my arms."

"Hmm," she giggled. "I suppose I should just be happy you didn't call me Piglet."

"You are small," I teased her, kissing her nose to watch her make that cute little face. "I think I've loved you since the first time I held you in my arms."

"You mean the first time we danced together?" she asked with a little smile.

"No. Can I tell you something?"

"Anything."

I almost blurted out my proposal then and there, but at the last second I changed my mind. There were too many people looking at us with interest right now. "The first time we met, I made it so you'd run into me that day."

Megan's lips parted in disbelief. "Why?"

"I wanted to get a closer look at you and I could tell you weren't really watching where you were going."

"Do you do things like that a lot to meet girls?"

"Only you. I just knew I needed to meet you."

"You would've met me the next day no matter what when I met you guys for pizza," Megan pointed out. "Although that was the most relaxed interview I've had in a long time."

"You know, if Seb and I hadn't convinced Sadie she needed the help I never would have met you."

"Very true. So are you still glad you met me?"

"Yes," I said simply, covering her soft lips with mine, not caring what people thought. I pulled her closer, so close that I could feel her body heat through my clothes and the scent of her favorite vanilla sugar cookie lotion washed over me. When we finally broke the kiss the music had changed into another slow song. "Remember the first time we danced like this? I didn't want to let you go."

Megan smiled softly, stroking my face. "I didn't want you to, either - but you had to. I was with someone else at the time, so it didn't matter _how_ attracted to you I was - nothing was going to happen between us."

"That asshat didn't deserve you, baby."

"I couldn't stop thinking about you after that night," Megan admitted, dropping her eyes. "I went through so many different emotions in such a short time - I was a little overwhelmed."

"That was a pretty crazy night," I agreed. "I was so relieved when we convinced you to move in with Seb. I think he misses having you around, by the way."

"I miss him sometimes, too. I mean, I _like_ living with you, Chris - don't think that I don't - but we had a nice little routine, me and Baz."

"And then we kissed for the first time that night; well, you kissed me first, actually."

"I did not!" Her eyes widened and her lips parted in surprise. " _You_ kissed _me_ in the kitchen after you kept me from falling when I was making breakfast and your rug tried to kill me."

I smiled as I remembered that night, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I'm not surprised you don't remember, but _you_ kissed _me_ before that - when the movie was over and you were curled up on my lap...and then you told me I needed to shave."

"I didn't!"

"You did. To be fair, you were still drunk and half asleep at the time; I was trying to wake you up so I could walk you to bed. I didn't think I could carry you without hurting you for as bad as your back was bruised then."

"He's in jail now," Megan said, resting her head on my chest. "I heard he got picked up for meth - intent to distribute. The girl he cheated on me with - her parents pressed assault charges against him when he hit her one too many times...and she wasn't 18."

"He got what was coming to him," I said firmly, glad to hear he wouldn't be bothering her ever again. "I just wish we could have gotten you away from him sooner, baby."

She tipped her head up for a kiss. "We kinda had a rocky start, didn't we?"

"Yeah, we did. I can't believe how long it took me to convince you to go out with me."

"I had a good reason to resist; I'd just gotten out of a toxic relationship and I wasn't convinced that being with you would be good for me."

"I get that - and then there was Tom. I really thought you were going to pick him that night."

"I still can't believe _how_ you wanted me to choose between you," she said shaking her head in disbelief. "Should've just played 7 Minutes in Heaven, I'm telling ya."

"Seven minutes isn't long enough to fully appreciate you, baby," I murmured, kissing her deeply. "Maybe seven hours?"

"I like the sound of that," Megan said a little breathlessly. "Are you ready to go back to our cabin?" She slid one small hand slowly down my chest as I watched her forest green eyes darken with desire. "I don't want to share you with anyone else right now."

"You're sure?" I asked, feeling myself responding to her touch.

"Positive."

 

* * *

Megan's POV

I wondered what Chris was up to tonight. He'd been acting a little off from the time he'd woken me up from my nap earlier, like there was something on his mind. I was certain he wasn't going to be breaking up with me the way he was looking at me tonight, which left one other option.

"Did you want dessert?" he asked as we walked back to our table.

"Depends on what they have," I said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm in the mood for something with crème filling."

He made a choked noise and flushed, instantly catching my innuendo. "You're gonna be the death of me, woman."

I smiled at him innocently, looking up at him through my eyelashes. "Are you going to let me taste you tonight?" I watched as his flush deepened; I loved knowing how fast I could get to him when I said things like this.

I didn't love Chris because he was handsome or famous or rich; I would rather he wasn't any of the above because of the sometimes disconcerting attention we received from his fans. I didn't love him just because the sex was mind-blowingly awesome - but it was definitely an added perk (and there really was something to be said for older, experienced guys when it came to sex - believe me!).

I loved Chris for a hundred little reasons - most of them ones I couldn't even put into words - like the way he made me feel when he kissed me, or how he needed me when he was starting to feel anxious. I loved that he talked with his hands when he was really excited about something and I even loved his little quirks, like how he always dried his fingers individually.

"Behave," he murmured unconvincingly as our waiter came to our table. He talked to the waiter in a low voice and gave him his card with that half smile he used for strangers on his lips. I was certain he was already hard from the way he shifted in his seat.

A couple minutes later we were walking out the door, hand in hand. I was carrying a to-go box with assorted desserts inside, which made me laugh. Chris had such a sweet tooth that I wasn't really surprised.

We were both quiet on the way back to the cabin, letting anticipation build. I shot little glances at Chris, smiling when I noticed he was doing the same thing to me. I'd done a lot of thinking since Sadie had warned me Chris was serious about proposing; to be honest, it wasn't exactly unexpected. I'd managed to talk him out of it once when neither of us were really ready, but after all we'd been through, I now knew what kind of man Chris was. We'd had our ups and downs - just like everyone else - but the thought of making a future with him didn't scare me - not anymore.

I put the to-go box in the fridge only to have Chris pulling me outside onto the balcony.

"What are you doing?" I asked, glad I hadn't taken off my boots yet. The balcony was covered with a couple inches of snow with larger drifts here and there.

"You'll see," Chris said, flashing a secretive smile.

He held my hands in his as we looked out over the snowy, moonlit valley. It was a clear night now that the storm had passed and we could even see the stars; I'd forgotten how much I'd missed seeing them.

"It's a beautiful night," I said, leaning into his warmth. He put his arms around me, playing with my hands idly, interlinking his longer fingers with mine.

"Mmmhmm...it sure is." We stood there in silence for a couple minutes. The cold was just starting to get to me when Chris said my name. "Megan?"

"Yeah?" I asked, shifting to meet his eyes and seeing him smiling at me with an anxious expression on his handsome face.

"I love you."

"I love you, too," I murmured, tilting my face up for a kiss. "Are you okay?"

In answer, he closed the distance between us and gave me a kiss that was so soft and achingly sweet; the kind of kiss you never want to end.

Just as the kiss was starting to get heated, Chris let go of me just long enough to pull out a little velvet box. I just stared at him with wide eyes - this was really happening. I felt my breathing accelerate as Chris went down on one knee before me, taking my left hand in his. He squeezed my hand lightly, rubbing his thumb over the back of it reassuringly. I smiled when he thumbed the little box open to reveal the most gorgeous ring I'd ever seen.

"Megan Jones, I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love another person. You turned my life upside down the moment you ran into me and things haven't been the same since - and I don't want them to be. You make me want be a better man when I'm with you."

He took a shaky breath and smiled - not his megawatt smile - his genuine one. His steel blue eyes held mine as I blinked rapidly, fighting back the tears that were threatening to cloud my vision. I didn't want to miss a single moment but his words were really hitting home fore me.

"When I look into your eyes, I see my future; I'm finally where I'm meant to be. I want to start a life together and have a family - but not without you. I guess what I'm trying to say is - Megan Jones, will you marry me?"

"Oh, Chris," I whispered, my voice breaking. I nodded and cleared my throat, trying to get my voice to work. "Yes, I'll marry you."

He leapt up and wrapped his arms around me while kissing me senseless. When we had to come up for air, he took the ring from the box, sliding it onto my left hand with a satisfied smile. It fit perfectly.

"Let's go back in," I murmured as I kissed him again. "I'm starting to feel chilly."

"I thought I might have to argue with you to get you to accept," he teased me as we walked inside. "I was fully prepared for it, actually."

"Are you disappointed you didn't have to convince me?" I asked, shooting him a glance.

"A little. I think I'm still in shock you accepted so easily."

"Someone's gotta keep you from getting complacent...and Sadie _might_ have warned me so I wouldn't be completely blindsided," I admitted, pulling him in for a kiss as he backed me into the kitchen and set me on the counter.

"Of course she did," he sighed against my lips and kissing down my neck. "Is anything a secret anymore?"

"I'm pretty sure you already knew that I'm really not a surprise kind of person - that's you, Chris." I gave him a small smile. "And Sadie didn't say _when_ , she just suggested that I know what my answer would be when you did."

"Oh," Chris said as he understood what I meant. He gently stroked the side of my face. "When did you talk to Sadie about this?"

"The day before we left to come here. Chris, why were you acting all strange earlier?"

"My anxiety was trying to get the best of me," he admitted. "I've never done this before - at least in real life - and I thought well, it's kinda stupid now that I think about it." He kissed my forehead, pulling me closer. I put one hand on his chest and I could feel that his heart rate was still elevated.

"What did you think?" I probed gently.

I was fairly certain what he was going to say, but he needed to say it out loud so I could refute it and he could stop worrying. Chris had a habit of tending to overthink things; it made him a good actor, but it meant that he'd end up blowing something he was stressed about way out of proportion.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I thought...you were gonna say 'no' in front of all those people at the restaurant."

"I never intended to refuse you, Christopher." I cupped his face in my hands, staring earnestly into his steel blue eyes. "I just didn't want to share _our_ moment." I pulled him down for another kiss and started backing him into the bedroom.

 

 


	31. Crazy Trust Exercises

Megan's POV

"Let's see the ring," Sadie said when she picked me up at her hometown airport. "Oooh – he did good!"

"He did," I agreed. "Are you sure this isn't too soon?"

Sadie shook her head. "Not if you love him – and I know you do."

"Yeah, I do. It's just that this is kind of a big step," I sighed.

"Megan, nothing says you _have_ to get married right away. Take as much time as you need and I'll make sure Chris doesn't rush you. There's a lot of decisions you'll need to make together first – and you both have your careers to think about."

"I'm not giving up singing," I said firmly.

"You don't have to – and I highly doubt Chris would even suggest that."

"I do love what I do."

"And you're good at it. Have you guys talked about where you'd live or anything?"

"Where we live is just going to have to depend on what's going on," I said. "It's a little easier for us – we don't have school age kids to think about."

Sadie sighed heavily. "I don't want to uproot the boys, but at the same time, I can't parent them from 1,000 miles away for very long."

"So this doesn't have anything to do with the fact that Sebastian wants to have kids?"

"Maybe a little," she admitted with a heartfelt sigh. "I don't know how we're going to make it work."

"It'll all work out - you'll see. Besides - Baz'd be a great dad, Sadie. It's so adorable watching him FaceTime Gracie!"

Sadie smiled. "Isn't it? She _loves_ her Sebba. They've been here every weekend."

"Do you still want more kids?" I asked curiously. "I know you said you did back when the boys were little, but they're almost out of the house, you know."

"Yeah, I do. I always wanted more babies after Isaac; it just never happened for us. I loved being pregnant – everything about it...other than about the last two weeks when I felt like a waddling duck. The boys have been hinting that they'd like a little sister since they don't have one of those."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "They know it doesn't work like that, right?"

 

* * *  
Chris' POV

I turned the idea over in my head for a while, just holding Megan while we were watching TV; I was pretty sure she was still awake. I stroked her face lightly, getting her to look up at me.

"Baby?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you awake?"

"Sort of," she yawned. "What's up?"

"I want you to come with me when we start filming next week if you don't have anything you have to be working on right now," I said, shifting us on the couch so I could look into Megan's eyes. "Do you think you can work on your music there?"

"Oh. Yeah, I can," she said after a moment. "I already looked into that because Sadie wanted me to come with, too – and there's a studio right in Vancouver I can use for recording. I thought I told you that the other day?"

"No, you didn't," I said as I kissed her gently, leaning over her. "Thank you. It really means a lot to me that you'll be with us."

"I'm not going to be able to be there for filming every day, just so you know. Sadie and I talked about it when we determined my schedule wasn't going to allow me to work for her very much longer...and Josh and I have an agreement."

"Do I want to know what you promised him?" I asked, shaking my head at her. She had _my_ assistant wrapped around her little finger...and she knew it.

Megan pulled me down for a slow, leisurely kiss. "Ask Josh if you have to know. It's nothing I can't deliver."

"He won't tell me," I said with a sigh. "He likes you better. Are you ready for bed?"

 

* * *

Megan's POV

I knew this was something Chris hadn't done - a romantic drama. I knew he was pretty excited to do it because after all, he couldn't play a superhero forever...he only had one more movie in his contract and then his time as Captain America was over.

I'd read through the script while I was running lines with Sadie and I couldn't wait to see it - even though it wasn't even filmed yet - just based on the script: small town boy makes it big and has to leave everything and everyone he knew behind if he was going to take his one and only chance to be a star. He leaves his high school sweetheart at the altar and doesn't come back for almost 10 years.

Scene:

"Why did you come back here, Luke?" Sadie asked, crossing her arms defensively.

"For the ranch," Chris said in a way that even I didn't completely believe.

"BS! You didn't care about it then and you don't care about it now."

"I've changed, Emma - I'm not the same guy who left all those years ago."

"Prove it!" Sadie challenged.

"Momma - guess what?" a little girl wearing a backpack asked, coming running and embracing Sadie.

"What, baby?" Sadie asked, momentarily distracted, giving her attention to the child. "How was school?"

"Good! I lost another tooth today!"

"We'll have to make sure to put it out for the tooth fairy tonight."

"Who's this, Emma?" Chris asked curiously, staring at the little girl who looked a lot like a younger Sadie from the pictures I'd seen. Casting had done a great job there.

The little girl let go of Sadie and turned to him, crossing her arms and giving him a singularly unimpressed look. "I'm Amelia and I know who you are - you're Luke Payne - that football player everyone talks about."

Chris held out a hand to her and crouched down to her height, looking over her thoroughly. "It's nice to meet you, Amelia. How old are you?"

"Nine," she said, shaking his hand. Chris reacted like he'd been sucker-punched as he did the mental math, coming up with the obvious answer.

"Amelia, honey - why don't you go up and get started on your homework. I'll be up in a couple minutes, okay?"

"Okay Momma," she said, walking out of the shot and behind the cameras to come sit next to me while Chris and Sadie finished acting out the scene. I quietly handed over her coloring book and colored pencils; Abby (the girl who played Amelia) had decided I was her best friend on the set and I hadn't minded the company. With such a small cast, there wasn't a lot of people for me to talk to between takes. 

*             *

"You want me to do what?" I asked the producer, sure I hadn't heard him properly.

"We need a song that fits this part of the movie," he reached across the table and tapped the papers he'd given me. "It might also be used for the trailer if we like it that much - we haven't found an overarching song that sums up the movie yet, either."

"Why me? I'm not really that well known yet."

"Megan, I have no doubt that by the time this movie's released you'll be a household name. I've been in this business for a long time - I know talent when I hear it. We can't get the rights to use the one we originally wanted - _I Thought I Knew You_ \- which we learned you also wrote."

I nodded. "Yes, I did. I'm not sure that it's quite the right fit for this moment, though."

"We loved it, but you're right - it doesn't fit there. We'd like something a little more hopeful, less _accusatory_ perhaps. Luke is trying to redeem himself, after all," he said with a smile.

"I'll see what I can do; you haven't filmed this part yet, correct?"

The producer nodded. "It's scheduled for roughly two weeks from now. Can you have it ready by then?"

"I'll try. Can you email my agent the contract specifics while I start working on it?" I asked, the gears already turning. He nodded, holding out a hand to me to shake.

 

* * *

Chris' POV

"What are you doing today?" I asked Megan before I started brushing my teeth.

"I'm going to meet up with Shawn today as soon as he gets into town," Megan said.

At least that's what I thought she said. I could barely hear her; it sounded like she was in the other part of our suite - the part Sadie was staying in. We'd gotten a two bedroom suite because Sadie didn't want to stay alone and we weren't going to be here long enough to justify renting a house. Sadie had left for the day already because she had to be in hair and makeup for longer than I did.

"Rhut ror (What for)?" I asked around a mouthful of toothpaste suds; I sounded more like Scooby Doo than myself, which normally would have made me laugh if I wasn't trying to follow the conversation.

"Remember I told you the other day that they want me to write a song for your movie?" she said, sounding closer now.

I spit and rinsed. "Yeah - looks like you got a good start from all the staff paper everywhere."

I could hear paper crinkling from the bedroom, so I assumed she was gathering most of it up to take with her to the studio today. I leaned on the doorjamb and watched her picking up the scattered papers. I already knew she wasn't going to be on set today because she'd said she needed to go into her studio to work on her music.

"Well, it's due in a couple days and I keep running into a wall. I just can't seem to move past it, so I texted Shawn the other day to see if he could help me out and he's flying in this morning so I'm meeting him at the studio as soon as he gets in."

"Shawn Mendes?" I asked, feeling a little off kilter. I didn't know she'd been planning on spending time with him today.

"Only Shawn I know, babe," she said, giving me a kiss on the cheek before slipping her shoes on. "See you tonight. Love you." She was out the door a moment later, leaving me staring after her in disbelief.

I sighed and walked back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. I picked up the towel I'd knocked over earlier and found Megan's engagement ring laying there on the counter along with the necklace I'd given her for Christmas and her watch - all things she put on ever single day...but she hadn't today.

I took a picture and sent it to her so she wouldn't be freaking out when she noticed she wasn't wearing it. It wasn't that I didn't trust her; it was _him_ I didn't trust. The fact that he was willing to fly here to meet her on short notice didn't exactly soothe my mind, either.

*         *

"What's wrong, Chris?" Sadie asked after we finished our first scene of the day to the directors satisfaction and were prepping for the next one - which happened to be the big fight scene between our characters.

"Nothing's wrong," I sighed, rubbing at my temples. I could feel how tense I was and at this rate I was going to have a headache by noon if I didn't let this go.

"Don't lie to me, Evans. I know you-"

"This doesn't concern you, Sadie," I said firmly.

"The hell it doesn't! I don't know what the hell your problem is - so when you decide you're ready to talk, you know where to find me."

The director stopped Sadie from leaving with a hand on her arm. "Can you guys channel that kind of emotion into this scene?" he asked, wide-eyed. "Change the wording if you need to - I just want whatever that was on camera."

"I can do that," Sadie said tightly, her arms crossed defensively over her small frame.

"Me too," I snapped. "Start from the top?"

"Please," the director said. "Just keep going - even if you mess up."

Sadie waited for the clapboard to shut and the staff to move out of the way. "Look, Luke - I know I should've told you about Amelia-"

"You're damn right you should have!" I shouted, making Sadie take a step back from me. "I think I had a _right_ to know that I have a daughter! I've missed out on so much already, Emma."

"I _tried_ to tell you that day-"

"Well, you didn't try very hard," I snapped. Sadie turned away and I grabbed her hand, pulling her back to me abruptly. "I'm not done talking to you."

"Well, I'm done talking to _you_ because you're not listening to me." She ran one hand through her hair in frustration. "Would it have changed anything, Luke? Would it? You were just making it big when you left us."

"I don't know - _because you never gave me the chance_ _to find out_. I've loved you since we were ten, Emma! God help me, I still love you." 

She wrenched her arm from my grasp and took a step back. "I wish I could believe you, Luke. I really do - but the truth is that _you_ didn't love _me_ enough to ask me to come with you - or to answer your phone when I called." She held a hand up when I would have interrupted her. "It took two of us to make that baby... and I can't change what happened in the past but I'll do everything in my power to keep you from hurting that little girl when you decide to walk away again."

I closed the distance and kissed Sadie roughly, slowly softening the kiss as her hand touched my face and threaded through my hair. I rested my forehead on hers after I broke the kiss, my nose touching hers as we gasped for air.

"I'm sorry. I'm so damn sorry," I murmured, staring into her shiny golden brown eyes.

"That makes two of us," Sadie said quietly, the tears finally falling. "You didn't want us then - you don't want us now and nothing you say is going to change my mind."

"I do want you. Both of you. I want to be a part of both of your lives."

"I wish I could believe you, Luke."

"Just give me a chance, Emma."

"I'll think about it."

"Emma-"

"I'm not saying no, but I'm not saying yes, either. I need some time, okay? Just give me a little time, Luke."

I let her walk away, snatching the ball cap off my head and throwing it before sinking to my knees and choking out a sob and burying my face in my hands. I sat back on my heels, so lost in my thoughts that I never heard the director say cut. Tears blinded me, but I smelled Sadie's familiar perfume as she wrapped her arms around me and I held onto her like she was my lifeline, burying my face in her belly.

"It's gonna be okay, Chris," Sadie said quietly. I felt her running her hands through my hair soothingly. "I don't know what's going on, but I'm here for you, okay?"

I managed to make it to my feet somehow and pulled her in for a hug. "I'm sorry, doll. I didn't mean to take my anger out on you like that. Can you forgive me?"

"Yeah," she said, kissing my cheek. "I can. Let's go get you fixed up again."

I wiped my eyes and looked around, unsurprised to see that we were the center of attention. "I don't think I've never seen Rick so happy before," I said to her as we walked over to the director for instructions.

 

*         *          *

Megan's POV

It was pretty late by the time Shawn and I decided to call it a day. We'd made a lot of progress but it was going to take at least another day before either of the songs we'd written would be ready to record, maybe even two.

"Do you want to get something to eat before we head to our hotels?" Shawn asked as he put his guitar in its case. "I'm starving."

"Yeah," I agreed as my stomach reminded me I hadn't eaten in a while. "You pick - pretty sure you know this city better than I do."

He gave me a grin and nodded. "I know just the place. I'll call and get us a reservation."

"Sounds good. I'm going to check in with Chris and Sadie to see how today went."

"Tell them hi for me," he said, tapping at his phone. "Do you think they'd meet us?"

"Dunno. I'll ask, but Sadie usually heads to bed about now when she has to be on set early and they've been putting in 12 hour days this week."

_Me: Hey babe. If you're_ _not too tired did_ _you want to join us_ _for a late dinner?_

Chris' reply was surprisingly quick. He must have been on his phone already, I decided.

**_Chris: Did you just get_ ** **_done now?_ **

_Me: Yes._

**_Chris: I'll pass. I'm going to_ ** **_bed. It's been a long_ ** **_day and I'm tired._ **

_Me: Ok. See you in a little_ _while. I'll try not to_ _wake you when I get in._

I couldn't quite tell from the tone of his messages if Chris really was just tired or if he was upset that I was spending today with Shawn. I'd thought his jealousy was getting better, but maybe he just hadn't had an excuse to be jealous until now. I decided to see if Sadie wanted to join us even if Chris didn't. I knew she genuinely liked Shawn and enjoyed talking to him even if his puppy love made her a little uncomfortable at times.  
  


"It's just us tonight," I told Shawn, linking my arm with his. "They're both already heading to bed. I guess it was a long day for them today."

"Bummer. I got us reservations already if you're ready to go. You're going to love this place, Meg."

"As long as it's better than that place you picked in Tokyo-" I teased him as we headed out to get a cab.

"Anything is better than that place," he agreed with a laugh. "I said I'm sorry!"

"And I forgave you...eventually."

 

* * *

Chris' POV

I was awake when Megan came in a while later, not long after I'd went to bed; I couldn't fall asleep knowing she was with Shawn. I watched as she set her purse and messenger bag down and padded into the bathroom, shutting the door before turning on the light. The shower started shortly after that and I debated with myself if I was going to pretend to be asleep or if I was going to talk to her. She'd texted me a couple times throughout the day and while I had responded, I was still upset with her.

I decided on sleep, having had enough confrontation today at work. Rolling over so I was facing away from the door, I closed my eyes and attempted to fall asleep. I heard Megan come out of the bathroom and pull on her nightgown before hearing the small chime her phone made when she plugged it in to charge. The sheets rustled as she climbed into bed, sliding over until she could put one arm around me and pressing a soft kiss to my back like she usually did when I fell asleep before she did.

"Love you," she murmured, settling in to go to sleep. I could feel her face on my shoulder and her warm breath ghosting across my back. I had just fallen asleep when my phone chimed, waking me again. I glanced at it to see a message from Sadie: **_Need you._**

I slid out of bed before making my way to Sadie's room; Megan was already fast asleep, but she'd know where I was if I wasn't in bed at this time of night. It had been at least a couple days since the last time she'd needed me like this. I hit the lights to see that Sadie was sitting up in bed in the dark, her arms wrapped around her knees and gasping for air.

"It's okay, doll," I said, crawling onto the bed and pulling her into my arms. "It's okay; just breathe for me." I put her hand on my heart and started saying calming nonsense in an even tone, knowing she'd focus on my heartbeat and the sound my voice.

"What brought this on, doll?" I asked when she was finally calm again and breathing evenly. "Bad dream?"

Sadie shuddered and nodded. "It just felt so _real_."

"It's not," I said firmly, knowing what she meant; her demons weren't so different from my own. I kissed her temple and shifted so she could look up at me. "I know it feels that way but it's not. I'm sorry if I made you upset today, Sadie. I know that didn't help."

"That didn't help either," she said, tucking her face into my bare chest and making herself small. "I hate fighting with you, Chris. _Hate it_."

I stroked her hair gently. "I hate fighting with you, too. Forgive me?"

She nodded slowly. "Can you stay?"

"Of course," I said, kissing the scar on her shoulder. "You've got an alarm set?"

"Yeah."

I let go of her so we could get under the covers and she shut the lamp off before laying her head on my shoulder and letting me put my arms around her.

"I still don't know how I'm going to do tomorrow's scene, Chris," Sadie said after a moment. "I've been dreading it."

"There's nothing to be scared of; it's not really sex, Sadie."

"But we'll both be _naked_ ," she said, and I could feel the tension in her body as I rubbed her back. "I've got scars and stretch marks, Chris."

I kissed her forehead. I thought we'd worked through her negative body issues this past summer, but I suppose filming a scene naked would bring them all back. "They usually do pretty much full body makeup on you, Sadie. You won't be able to see anything like that by the time they're done. And these scars," I said, touching her shoulder. "These are part of who you are. You know they'll cover them well, right?"

"Yeah, they do. Do you have to get all your ink covered?" she asked, touching my clavicle. Of all my tattoos, that one was her favorite. "Or do you get to keep any of it?"

"Not a bit," I said with a smile. "All of it goes bye bye."

"That's a shame," Sadie clicked her tongue. "I _like_ your ink."

"You should get some of your own," I said, knowing she wouldn't because it was too permanent. We'd had this conversation several times before and I'd never been able to sway her. "Sadie...I talked to Sebastian." I knew she heard me but she didn't respond, just waiting for me to continue. "Since we both know you've never done anything like this before, he encouraged me to help you practice for tomorrow."

"I know. He suggested that again tonight when I talked to him before supper; but I didn't know how to bring it up to you and I didn't think you'd want to-"

I cut her off before she could get worked up again. Her tone had already reached borderline panic. "Shh, calm down. Really, I don't mind, doll. That way you aren't completely unprepared."

She was quiet for a moment, her hand touching mine and linking fingers with me. "I think I do want to... to practice - that sounds so _normal_ \- practice. I can do this."

I squeezed her hand gently, rubbing my thumb over the back of her hand. I could tell she was nervous enough already from her speech patterns. "I want you to keep talking to me, Sadie; anything you think, you can say to me - no need to filter. If you've got a question, fire away."

"Will you...umm...will you-"

I think I knew what she was asking. "No, I won't actually enter you, Sadie. This is going to sound kind of strange, but tomorrow I probably won't even be hard at all - nothing to do with you, just the fact that sex scenes are actually the least sexy things to film. We'll both be in full make up with overly warm lighting. The director and cameramen will be there too, so we won't even be alone."

"That sounds...terrifying," she said, her hand tightening on mine abruptly.

"It's really not - trust me." I reached over and turned on the lamp. "Do you trust me, Sadie?"

"Yeah, of course I do. I'm just scared. What if...what if I do something wrong?"

"It's just me, doll - nothing to be scared of. Besides, I know we need to practice our kissing. We don't kiss like lovers, do we?"

"Nope," she giggled. Our director was happy with everything else we'd given him - he just didn't like how we kissed...at all...other than today during our emotionally charged scene.

"All right - let's start from the beginning," I said. "Out of bed."

"But I'm nice and warm now," Sadie complained, squeaking when I rolled over on top of her.

"I'm gonna squish you if you don't get up."

She scowled at me and pushed ineffectually at my chest. I outweighed her by a solid 70 pounds, so I wasn't going anywhere if I didn't want to. "Fine," she groaned, my weight sinking her into the bed. "I hate you."

"I sincerely doubt that," I laughed, letting her up. She slid out of bed and stood up, arms crossed over her chest. "Contract wise what are you allowing?"

"Back and tush are fine - I like my tush-"

"You have a nice ass," I agreed. "Anything else?"

She shook her head. "No nipples, no bush. I thought we were trying to stay PG 13?"

"I'm pretty sure that's the plan. Are you on birth control?"

"No," she said shaking her head. "I haven't been for years."

"I'll be right back. I'm going to grab a condom then - just to be on the safe side for right now."

* *

"Are you ready?" I asked her, absorbing her defensive body language. This was pretty far out of her comfort zone, but I was proud of her for trying.

"As I'll ever be," Sadie said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

I took her hands in mine. "I want you to become Emma. What does she want from Luke? _Why_ does she want it?"

"I think," Sadie said slowly, thinking as she spoke, "I think Emma wants to know if there's still something between them. She never stopped loving Luke, not really. That's why she didn't move on or find someone new."

"Exactly. Emma's a beautiful girl - if she wanted to find a new man, she could have."

"Why does Luke want this?" Sadie asked, ignoring my compliment and turning the tables on me. "What's in it for him other than sex?"

"Sex," I said, getting a giggle out of her. "Seriously, I think Luke wants to be a part of Emma's life again and for as stupid as he's been, this is his last chance of convincing Emma that he really does love her and this isn't just an act."

"He's kind of been a dick to her," Sadie said, making a face.

"Yeah, he has," I agreed. "It's time for him to make it up to her. Tell me if you don't like anything I'm doing; we'll start with kissing for now, okay?"

"Okay," she said, meeting my eyes. "I can handle that."

"Pretend you like me," I said as I brought one hand up to cup her face, my thumb skimming her cheekbone as I tilted her face up slightly.

"I do like you," she said, scrunching up her nose adorably.

"Pretend I'm Seb, then. Kiss me like you'd kiss him."

I covered her warm, soft lips with mine, closing my eyes and just letting myself get into the kiss, finding what felt natural. She was the perfect height - neither of us had to strain to maintain contact.

I could tell when Sadie finally relaxed enough to just enjoy it, becoming more playful for a while before she slowly brought one hand up and speared her fingers into my hair, angling her face to deepen the kiss, her other hand resting lightly on my side.

My other hand slid slowly down her back, feeling her skin skittering under my touch with nervous energy. Grabbing one firm butt cheek, I stepped closer, closing the distance between us. I kissed down her neck to her shoulder, smiling to myself when she gasped, telling me I'd found a sweet spot. I focused on that spot, Sadie's head falling back with a moan to allow me better access to it, one hand firmly gripping my bicep.

I slid my hands up her sides, pulling her tank top off and tossing it aside. Sadie was okay with that until I stepped away from her; then she immediately tensed and moved to cover her breasts, not wanting me to see them.

"Don't - they're beautiful," I said with a smile, gently moving her hands away from them. Her eyes were wild, bordering on panic, but I knew that in order for us to be able to film tomorrow, she needed to move past this.

An idea came to me and I pulled Sadie over so she was standing in front of the closet mirror. I stood behind her, my arms around her and cupping her breasts. "I know women that would kill for breasts like these, doll," I murmured in her ear, kissing her shoulder. "Look how perfectly they fill my hands, see?" Her eyes met mine in the mirror for a moment and she nodded, her skin warming as she flushed. I felt myself harden as the erotic visual stimulation got to me.

"But I have stretch marks on them," she pointed out, her voice rough with distress. "And they're not perky anymore!"

"Look at me," I urged, waiting for her eyes to meet mine again. "Those things you worry about don't take away from the beauty of them, Sadie. Not for a man." I kneaded her breasts gently and kissed the sweet spot I'd found earlier, making her lean back on me a little more. "So don't let them bother you because I can guarantee I don't notice things like that."

"Then what do you focus on?" Sadie asked breathlessly, taking the bait as I continued to manipulate her breasts with my hands, caressing them slowly. Reading her body language, I could tell she liked having them played with, her eyes had darkened and her breathing becoming more shallow.

"I'll tell you what I focus on. Look at how nice and firm your breasts are, Sadie," I bounced them in my hands, making her tremble slightly. "I can tell they're real, which is even better. Even your nipples are the perfect color...dusky rose...and when they're furled like this," I pinched her nipples to get them to stand at attention, making her gasp. "You see how taut they are?"

"Y-Yes."

"Just right," I murmured, kissing down her neck. "So you see, there's absolutely nothing to be ashamed of; you're perfect the way you are. Color?" She'd closed her eyes, letting herself just feel what I was doing, so she didn't answer right away. I asked again, needing to know where I stood with her. "Color?"

"Green," she said after a moment, turning to face me.

I kissed her again, feeling her full breasts pressing into my chest. I pushed her thin sleep shorts off her hips, my hands skimming her thighs as I removed them, leaving her naked before me.

"Touch me," I ordered roughly, sliding my hands back up her long legs and pulling her tightly to me by her pert ass. "I want you to touch me like I belong to you and you alone, Emma," I deliberately used her character's name to remind her this wasn't Chris and Sadie, this was Luke and Emma. "Every inch of me is yours, Emma."

Sadie kissed the ink on my clavicle, her eyes holding mine as she slid her hands down my torso, watching my expressions closely as she followed the ridges of my abs. Somehow she knew just how I liked to be touched to turn me on, but that didn't surprise me - she knew me well.

"Color?" she asked me as her fingers slid under the waistband of my boxers, her fingernails lightly scraping the sensitive skin of my lower abdomen, making my muscles jump under her hands; she paused, waiting for an answer before she took things further.

"Green," I replied, sucking in a quick breath.

 

*         *          *

Megan's POV

I woke up before my alarm the next morning, opening my eyes to see Chris walking into our bedroom from the direction of Sadie's suite. "Morning," I said as I sat up and stretched, making him jump a couple feet into the air. If I would have been awake sooner, I would totally have filmed his reaction to send it to Hayley Atwell - it would've made her day to see him jump like that.

"Megan!" he gasped, turning to face me. "You scared me!"

"Should I be concerned that you're just coming back now?" I asked, eyeing him curiously. "And _why_ are you walking around naked?

"No, of course not." He sauntered over to the bed and climbed on it, slumping on my pile of blankets and my legs, pinning me in place with his weight. "Were you cold last night?"

"Maybe a little," I shrugged, not missing the fact that he didn't answer my second question. "My personal heater disappeared."

"Sorry, baby. Sadie had a nightmare and I didn't want to wake you."

I figured that was what had happened when I'd realized he was gone. I'd learned that while I could help Sadie by keeping her company, I just couldn't get her to calm down like Chris or Sebastian could. She'd explained that her nightmares were mostly about losing _them_ \- a stunt gone wrong, an accident - that sort of thing. It didn't vary much, but they always left her incredibly upset.

"That's the third one this week," I observed; they didn't usually happen so often, I'd noticed. Usually she only had one every couple weeks. "What was it this time?"

"Justin's accident again," he sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I think playing Emma is bringing back old memories."

"Baz was afraid of that. I should let him know they're getting worse," I said as I laid back, running my hand through his hair, trying really _really_ hard  not to jump to conclusions. "Chris - not that I don't like looking at you - but _why_ are you naked? I'd really appreciate an answer."

"Do you want the long answer or the short one?" he asked, nuzzling my hand like an attention starved cat - or Dodger; either was an apt comparison. I decided he was more like a cat today, though; he didn't have his usual exuberant energy and seemed content to just lay on me.

It was never good when he said that - never. I glanced at the clock, realizing I needed to get moving soon if I was going to meet Shawn for breakfast and Chris' long explanations could get _very_ long. "Ummm...the short one?"

"Sadie was flipping out about our scene today, but I think she'll be fine now," he said with a yawn, stretching his back like a large cat before he pushed himself up on his arms, making his muscles stand out even more than they usually did.

"That doesn't exactly answer my question, Evans."

He ignored my statement and leaned over me, parting the fluffy robe I'd put on when I'd woken up shivering last night. I knew where he was heading with this from the gleam in his eye, so I reached out a hand and held him back so I could sit up; I wasn't done talking to him.

He let me sit up, but starting kissing down the arm I'd reached out to stop him, undeterred in the least. I sighed to myself; I had no intention of letting him sidestep this discussion. We were going to talk one way or another. He was acting more determined than usual, but that wasn't going to stop me from winding _him_ up - partially because I knew he'd tell me _anything_ when he reached a certain level of arousal. I gave him one last chance to answer me before I used his own amorous intentions against him.

"Why are you naked already?" I asked him, one hand on his clavicle to stop him from moving forward.

"That's not important," Chris said as he pushed the robe off my shoulders, his eyes darkening as he slowly undid the tie to my nightgown. The silky fabric slithered down my body, the cooler room air causing my nipples to pucker instantly.

I leaned forward, watching his eyes follow my breasts as I moved. I let them rub against his chest as I crawled onto him. He kissed me greedily when my lips were within reach, his hands touching every inch of me as I sucked on his tongue lightly, trapping his erection between us deliberately.

Whatever he'd done last night hadn't given him release, not from how he was acting. I knew how fast I could turn him on, but I hadn't even _done_ anything yet. His breath caught as his tell kicked in; I felt his shudder as I sucked harder on his tongue just because I could, knowing he was imagining me sucking on his cock just like that.

While I teased his tongue, I slid slowly up his hard cock before lifting slightly and repeating the motion, each time with greater pressure. He rolled his hips to meet mine each time, unable to keep still.

"Why did you pretend to be asleep when I came to bed last night?"  I asked, letting just the tip of his cock slide inside me before undulating in a way I knew drove him absolutely crazy.

"I was jealous..." he rasped as I kept up on my knees so he couldn't get any further inside. "Fuck, Megan! I need to be in you!"

"Why were you jealous of Shawn?" I asked, taking him in a smidge more before withdrawing again, not making this easy on him.

"He wants you and you're mine," he growled, reclaiming my lips as he set his hands on my hips and firmly pulled me to him, filling me to my core with one quick thrust. "Mine."

I smothered a moan as he started to move. He felt so good - even when I was less than pleased with his possessiveness. "It doesn't matter what he wants - I chose you."

"I won't let him take you from me," he promised.

I'd warned him what I would do the next time he was needlessly jealous or overly possessive - and unrepentant; now I had to follow through. By now, he was too far gone to leave on the edge like I'd originally planned. I couldn't deny him his orgasm after intentionally bringing him this far to get him to talk - that _really_ didn't go over well.

One of the few hard bedroom rules we'd established was that we had to agree on orgasm denial ahead of time - and we hadn't. I pushed Chris back onto my pile of pillows, using the change in position to put me more in control.

"I'm so fucking close," he groaned, his hands gripping my hips firmly.

I felt his warning twitch and abruptly rose to my knees to fully disengage from him just in time to watch him come all over his belly - which he hated - but that was why it was part of his punishment.

"I've always chosen you, Chris," I informed him as I climbed off of him and walked away.

 

*        *      *

Chris' POV

The sudden loss of skin contact right as I came was disturbing; I jumped when Megan slammed the bathroom door, telegraphing her mood. I laid there for a long moment until the feel of it cooling on my skin made me move.

I grabbed a nearby towel and wiped the sticky mess off me before walking over to the bathroom - only to find the door locked. If I'd had any doubt that I was in the doghouse before, I knew for a fact I was now. Luckily, it had one of those safety locks that only took a coin to open, so it only took me a second to get in.

Megan was showering already when I let myself in, tossing the quarter I'd used on the counter. She opened her eyes when I stepped into the tub and I could see the anger still simmering in their forest green depths before she turned her face away from me, reaching for her shampoo.

"Jealousy doesn't get rewarded, Evans," she said, shaking off my touch when I reached for her. "You _promised_ me it wouldn't happen anymore."

"I'm sorry, baby."

"I told you what I'd do if you did, didn't I?"

"I'm sorry," was all I could say to her. I was incredibly lucky she'd even let me _touch_ her this morning if she was this angry at me.

"Don't 'I'm sorry' me, Evans; start talking or I'm walking," she snapped, spelling it out for me. "You told me no more games -seriously-what-the-fuck?!"

"I might have been a _little_ upset that you were going to be spending the day with Shawn-"

"Little upset?" she scoffed. "You spend time with _your_ friends, Evans - why shouldn't I?" The fact that she was still not using my first name told me she wasn't ready to forgive me. "You were jealous," she pointed out as she lathered up. "For no good reason! Admit it - there was _no reason_ for you to act like that. I've never given you any reason to distrust me, have I?"

"No," I admitted, feeling ashamed of my behavior towards her yesterday. "You haven't. I know you say you're just friends, but I still think he sees you as more than just a friend, Megan."

"We've been over this-"

"I know," I sighed, pulling her into my arms as she stepped under the spray to rinse her hair. She tensed, but let me hold onto her. "I'm sorry I was jealous, but will you _at least_ wear your ring today? Please?"

I cupped her face between my hands, waiting for her to open her eyes and look at me. The anger in her eyes had lessened slightly - just enough she was willing to keep talking to me. She pulled her face from my grasp.

"Is that what started this? All this because I _forgot_ to wear my engagement ring and I was meeting up with Shawn?"

"It certainly didn't help," I remarked, remembering how upset that had made me - not that I was stupid enough to tell her that. "How long did it take you to realize you forgot it?"

"When I got in the shower last night and didn't remember taking it off. I probably should've noticed sooner for as much as I was playing piano - my ring rubs when I play a lot."

I took her hand in mine and looked closer at it. Sure enough, she had some red marks from where the diamonds irritated her sensitive skin. "I'm sorry - I didn't think of that." I kissed her fingers one by one. "I can get you a different ring, baby."

She pulled her hand from my grasp before sliding her arms around my waist. "No! I like my ring! I just usually take it off when I'm going to be playing for a while."

I gave up on that line of reasoning; I could tell she was going to dig her heels in on this. I gave her a light kiss, glad that we'd worked things out.

"Megan, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she said as she laid her head on my chest. "What?"

"Baby, are you mad I stayed with Sadie last night?"

I held my breath, honestly afraid of what her answer might be. Sadie was my best friend and it would only be natural for Megan to feel a little threatened by our sometimes...strange relationship. The fact that she'd seen me coming back in naked probably hadn't been the best thing for her to see this morning, either.

"No you dork," she scoffed, rolling her eyes at me. "How do you think Sadie knew what you liked?" I felt like someone had yanked the floor out from under me. I stared at Megan in shock. "Let me guess, Sebastian _didn't_ tell you what Sadie likes?" Megan raised an eyebrow, shaking her head. "Why does that not surprise me?"

"No - he didn't - and I didn't think to ask him," I said honestly. The thought had never crossed my mind until she'd suggested it.

"Men!" Megan snorted and bent over to reach for her conditioner, presenting me with a great view of her firm ass. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to squeeze her cheeks - my girl had an incredible ass. I stopped listening as I focused on her body.

"I know that look and I don't have time for that today," Megan said, slanting me a look and squirting a dollop of conditioner into her hand before turning around to set the bottle down again. "So is Sadie done freaking out about the scene today?"

"I think so," I said, feeling myself flush as I remembered how I'd gotten her to move past her fears. "It took a while to get her to that point, though."

"She's still probably going to freak out until it's done and over with," Megan said as she finger-combed the snarls out of her hair. "You know she will."

"Yeah, she will," I said with a smile until a thought hit me. "When did you two talk about it?"

"A while ago," Megan said. "We've talked about it a couple times after she read the updated script and realized what was going to happen between your characters. It's _Sadie_ \- she's only slightly more experienced than me, Chris."

"We didn't actually have sex," I felt the need to point out to my fiancée for some reason. "You know that, right?"  
  


 

* * *

Megan's POV

"As reassuring as that is to hear you tell me that," I said as I held up a hand, not wanting to hear anything more. "I already assumed you didn't. I trust you, Chris - I know you're not going to cheat on me."

"I would never cheat on you," he vowed.

"Then why is it so hard for you to trust me?"

"I do trust you."

I shook my head in disbelief. I wanted to beat him for his pigheadedness. "No, you don't. If you _did_ , you wouldn't be worried about me spending time with Shawn - regardless of whether I was wearing my ring or not."

He opened his mouth and closed it again, not having a defense to that. I changed the subject as I turned around to rinse my hair, teasing him by rubbing myself against him. I smiled to myself as I felt that he was already hard again, his hands caressing my skin in a way that left me wanting more than just touching.

"So is that why you were so needy this morning?" I asked, looking over my shoulder and giving him a sultry smile. "Got yourself all worked up for nothing?"

He kissed the back of my neck, zeroing in on my sweet spot and turning me on even more. "Well, let's put it this way, baby - my hand and I were on the way to the shower when you scared me. I felt like I'd been edging for too long."

"You can still put your hand to good use," I suggested, placing his hand on my curls as I ground my ass against his hardness.

"Baby, I can do more than that," he promised, claiming my lips as he spun me and pushed me up against the wall. I gasped as his deft fingers slid into my already slick folds and found my clit. "I know you didn't get to come yet."

"I'm counting on it," I said with a grin, knowing he wouldn't leave me unsatisfied. "But you've gotta be fast - I'm meeting Shawn in less than an hour."

He growled, deepening the kiss. "Challenge accepted," I could've swore he murmured, alternating between trailing open mouthed kisses down my neck and sucking on my sensitized skin, his other hand teasing my nipples.

"Don't even _think_ about leaving a mark there, Evans," I warned, my voice breathier than usual. I tugged his head back from my neck by his thick hair, forcing him to meet my eyes. "I'm serious; you mark me, I mark you - in the same place."

The makeup people wouldn't thank me for making them cover up hickeys today since he was going to naked on the set, but one warning was all I ever gave, so he'd better listen. I let go of his hair and kissed him again, winding my legs around him when he picked me up and sheathed his hard length in me at the perfect angle to send me over the edge.

"Mine," he rasped as I shattered, my inner walls pulsing around him. "Say you're mine."

"I'm yours," I panted, eyes closing and my head falling back. "Only yours."

"Good," he murmured, kissing me gently as I came down from my high and slumped onto his chest. "I love you, baby. Love you so, so much."

"No more jealousy?" I asked, kissing his neck.

"No more jealousy," he promised, setting me carefully on my wobbly legs. "I mean it."

 


	32. Lobby Hero

Megan's POV

"Thank you so much for coming, Shawn," I said as I slid my arms around his waist for a hug. "It really means a lot to me."

Our pace had slowed slightly and a glance showed that Chris and Sadie were pretty far ahead of us...and I was almost certain Sadie was dragging Chris away to give us a moment to talk. I was just glad they'd met us for dinner tonight so Chris could see that there really wasn't anything between me and Shawn - it was all in his imagination.

"Any time, Meg," he said with a grin, hugging me back, wrapping his long arms around me. "Let me know how this all turns out. I think they're going to want both of them."

"I will," I promised. "I think they will, too."

"I still can't believe how much we got done in two days - that's gotta be a record or something." We'd managed to fine tune an album's worth of songs to a rough cut in two days, _including_ finishing the two songs I'd originally started working on, which was pretty incredible. Shawn had been really helpful; he'd had a lot of good advice for me.

"I wish you could stay a couple more days," I sighed. "It's going to be boring just sitting on set again."

"Me too, but I have to get back home."

He abruptly jerked me into an alcove, out of sight of passersby. Shawn met my eyes, cupping my face with one large, warm hand.

"Shawn? What's wrong?" I asked, looking past him for the reason we were hiding. I hadn't noticed any fangirls - and I could pick them out from a mile away from being around Chris, Tom and Sebastian so much.

He shook his head slightly, his unruly hair flopping into his eyes. I reached up to brush it back, knowing it wouldn't stay for long but needing to be able to read him. Shawn's eyes really were the window to his soul and I was thankful he hadn't mastered the art of hiding his emotions yet.

"Nothing. It was just really good to see you again," he said after a moment. "I didn't know how much I missed you until yesterday." He brushed his thumb over my cheekbone. "Funny how that happens - it just hits you all of a sudden."

"Take a picture - it'll last longer," I suggested, nipping at his hand to try and lighten the mood. I took a small step back to put a little distance between us; this wasn't our usual banter - something had changed between us...and I didn't like it.

"I need to tell you something."

"I'm listening," I said, half afraid of what he was going to say.

Shawn captured my chilly hands in his larger ones, completely engulfing them and chafing them lightly to warm them.

"What if I told you I really like you, Meg?"

"Don't, Shawn -" I begged him, my heart beating faster and an uncomfortable lump in my throat. "Once you say those words you can't take them back."

"I don't want to ruin our friendship, but I feel like I have to tell you-"

"No - no - you don't. It won't change anything, Shawn. I'm marrying Chris - you know that already."

A muscle ticked in his jaw and his eyes were shiny when they met mine. I tugged my hands from his and yanked on the front of his jacket to pull him down just enough so I could put my arms around his neck and give him a hug.

"Where's a phonebook when you need one?" he teased me, wrapping his arms around me tightly.

"You'll always be my friend, Shawn," I murmured in his ear. "And I promise you that someday soon you're gonna find the girl that's right for you - but it's not me - and I think you know that."

Shawn took a shaky breath and nodded once. I kissed his cheek gently and let go of him; he didn't let go of me, only holding me tight to him as he straightened up. I felt him rest his chin on my head.

"Are you gonna be okay?" I finally asked, patting his chest to signal him to let go of me.

"Yeah," he said hoarsely, slowly releasing me.

"See you later, Shawn," I said quietly, turning to leave the alcove.

"Wait," he said, and I turned back to him. Suddenly, before I could even comprehend what was happening, his lips abruptly crashed down onto mine. I froze in shock - I hadn't even remotely expected this. We hadn't kissed since the day we'd filmed the music video - which was before Chris and I even started dating.

Shawn pulled back after a moment, a strange expression on his face. "I'm sorry - that felt weird."

"I second that," I muttered, only to be startled when he laughed.

"You were right, Meg."

"I generally am, but about what?" I asked, not following his train of thought. "You're going to have to narrow it down a bit."

"Smartass." He rolled his eyes at me. "Please don't be mad at me, Meg...but I thought I'd feel something if I kissed you again...and I didn't." 

"Not gonna lie, it was a little weird for me too, Shawn. Let's never do that again, agreed?"

"Agreed," he said, slinging an arm around my shoulder as we continued on to my hotel, talking easily and acting like that kiss had never happened.  
  
  


* * *

Chris' POV

"Did you guys stop for dessert?" I asked when I heard the door open a while later.

"You were right," Megan muttered me when she plopped down on the couch beside me.

I took off my reading glasses and looked at her evenly. Those were words she rarely said to me. I couldn't remember the last time I'd heard her say that to me, actually.

"Can I get that in writing?" I asked, giving her a half grin.

I was just glad she'd finally made it back to our suite. It felt like it took forever for her to get in, but in reality it was only about 10 minutes after Sadie and I arrived back at the hotel - Sadie having determinedly frog-marched me back here.

"Nope," she said with a straight face. "Probably'll never gonna happen again."

"No faith," I muttered. "No faith at all. So what was I right about?"

"Shawn _did_ think he liked me, but he changed his mind after he kissed me tonight."

My jaw dropped and I stared at her in shock. "I'm not sure if I should be relieved or pissed at him," I said when I finally found my voice again.

"Can't help you there," Megan sighed, slumping over to lay her head down onto my lap. She looked up at me curiously, studying my face. "You're taking this surprisingly well. Who are you and what have you done with my fiancé? He looks a lot like you but has a huge-"

"I'm still savoring the fact that you told me I was right," I lied, stroking her face gently and trying very hard to not think about planning a 'chance' meeting with Shawn Mendes to set a few things straight.

"I know you're lying, Evans," Megan said, sitting back up. "Let me know when you're done plotting murder." She patted my face patronizingly and stood up, walking over to where she'd dropped her purse.

"Where are you going?" I asked as she pulled some cash out of her wallet and heading for the door.

"To talk to Sadie and then I'm going to shower."

"Sadie bet that he'd kiss you?" I guessed, watching Megan flush.

"Yup. I lost this one," she admitted. "I didn't think he really would."

* *

A loud knocking at our door woke me up. I pulled on a robe and stumbled to the door and checked the peephole, unsurprised to see a tired looking Shawn Mendes standing in the hallway.

"Hey, Chris - is Megan here?" he asked when I opened the door.

"It's 1 am, Shawn; she's sleeping," I yawned, leaning on the door jamb and effectively blocking it with my body. "What do you want?"

Shawn looked at me with wide eyes, taking in the fact that I was only wearing a robe. He was slightly taller than I was, but he still had the slim build of a boy. His behavior towards me was nonaggressive and he wasn't here to pick a fight; something about him reminded me a lot of Liam, which is why I didn't just shut the door on him.

"I - I just wanted to apologize again for my behavior earlier," he said, hanging his head and stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Then call her in the morning," I suggested. "Just not before dawn. Go back to your hotel and go to bed, kid."

"I couldn't sleep," he said, and I looked at him a little closer, seeing how frazzled he was. The kid had himself all worked up over nothing, but there was nothing _I_ could do about that.

"I noticed," I said, rubbing a hand over my face and trying to decide if I should wake her up or not.

"I just need to talk to her for a minute," he pleaded quietly, briefly meeting my eyes. "I fly out in a couple hours."

"Let me wake her up," I sighed, gesturing for him to come in. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to get rid of him until he'd had his say. Believe it or not, I still remembered how it felt to be that young. "Stay here, okay?"

 

* * *

Megan's POV

I rolled over in bed to see Chris coming back in, silhouetted by the light of the sitting room. He glanced at me as he came back in and I sat up, turning on the lamp.

"I heard voices. Is something wrong?" I asked him, trying to decipher his body language.

He sat down beside me on the edge of the bed, taking one hand in his. "Shawn's here, baby. He says he needs to talk to you before he flies out today."

I looked at the clock on the nightstand and shook my head. "It's only 1 am? What's he doing here at this time of night?"

Chris shrugged. "Go talk to him so we can go back to sleep," he ordered, giving me a light kiss and standing up to slip off the robe. "You can just wear this, baby."

I slowly got out of bed and slid my arms into the robe that Chris held out for me, covering my nakedness. It was already warm and smelled like his cologne, which settled me somewhat. I closed it and tied the belt firmly. Chris crawled back under the covers into the warm spot, watching as I walked out of the room, his steel blue eyes giving nothing away.

"Shawn? What are you doing here at this hour?" I asked, letting myself out of our bedroom and seeing him standing beside the door. "Are you all right?"

He looked upset, his eyes red and a tightness to his posture that concerned me. His eyes skimmed over me as I approached him - and I knew he saw my wild bedroom hair and had already noticed that I was wearing the same robe he'd just seen Chris in a couple minutes ago, subtly proclaiming me as Chris' woman, which I was sure he'd intended.

"I just wanted to apologize to you again in person before I left. I know I apologized earlier, but I didn't think that was enough."

"Your Canadian-ness is showing," I replied, rolling my eyes and holding up a hand. "We're fine, Shawn. I'm not holding that against you."

"Does he know?"

"Yes, and I lost $50 because of you." Shawn gave me a confused look, so I explained a little bit. "Sadie bet me that you'd kiss me at least once before you left."

"How-"

"She's Sadie," I replied with a shrug - as if that said everything. "She also pointed out you were throwing down some pretty obvious hints that I apparently didn't catch. Went right over my head," I said with a small smile, admitting that I didn't see him like that all over again.

"Oh. Sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment as he flushed bright tomato red. Just then Sadie came out of her bedroom, wearing the tank top and shorts she usually slept in with her hair up in a high ponytail.

"I can't say I'm surprised to see you, Shawn," Sadie said in a resigned voice, raising an eyebrow as she looked between us. "I thought it would have been sooner that this. Megan, why don't you go back to bed?" There was a hint of steel in her voice and I found myself looking at her in surprise. "I need to talk to Shawn for a bit."

I knew an order when I heard it. "Okay," I said, nodding my head. "Bye, Shawn."

"Goodnight, Meg - and I'm sorry I woke you up."

I waved off his apology and let myself back into my bedroom, wondering what kind of mood Chris would be in.

"That was fast," Chris said, looking up from his phone. "What did he want?"

"Just to apologize for earlier. Did you call Sadie?"

"No, why?"

"She said she needed to talk to Shawn and told me to go back to bed."

"Oh," he said, setting his phone back down. "Well, she's pretty light sleeper, so I'm sure she woke up when he knocked. It's probably a good thing she's doing it."

"Why's that?"

"Shawn respects Sadie - I'd even say he has a little crush on her - but mostly he's still young enough to listen to her when she's in mom mode."

"Apparently I still listen to her when she's in mom mode, too," I grumbled. "And she's not even _my_ mom."

Chris laughed quietly and pulled me into his arms, kissing me lightly. "Join the club. She'll set him straight without hurting his feelings; he's still more boy than man."

* *

We weren't asleep when a light distinctive knock came a few minutes later.

"Come in Sadie," Chris said, pulling the sheet up so we were fully covered.

"I didn't think you'd be sleeping yet," Sadie said as she walked in, shutting the door behind her.

"Did he leave?" I asked.

"Yeah, just now," Sadie said as she walked over to our bed and sat on the edge beside me. "I think he'll be fine now. He was really worried that he'd ruined your friendship tonight."

"He didn't. Surprised me, that's for sure."

Chris snorted, sitting up in bed. "Kid looked miserable, Sadie."

"Yes he did," Sadie agreed. "I assured him that you're still his friend, Megan, and reminded him that it wasn't really appropriate for him to show up at your door at this time of the night."

"Especially considering you're engaged and staying with me," Chris added. 

"He was okay with you momming him like that?" I asked, shifting so I could see her face.

She shrugged and smiled. "I don't know if he even realized I was doing it. He's a smart young man, but he let his emotions get the best of him today."

"He and Camilla broke up pretty recently," I said. "That's why he agreed to come on such short notice - needed a change of scenery."

"I know," Sadie said, patting my shoulder. "You've been a good friend to him. You can call or text him tomorrow afternoon after he's had some down time. He's got some things to think about first."

"Thanks for talking to him, Sadie. Did he say anything about Chris?"

"He was very glad Chris didn't feel the need to punch him," Sadie said, hiding a smile.

"He's just a kid," Chris said, shaking his head.

"Who are you?" I asked him as I looked up at him in disbelief. This was the second time he'd passed on the chance to act on his jealousy.

"I've got no reason to be jealous of him, baby. He didn't even try to mouth off to me."

"He's intimidated by you, I think," Sadie said. "He knew you would be within your rights to punch him for kissing her earlier. I think he would have felt better if you did, actually."

Chris snorted. "I may have _thought_ about it, but I wasn't going to go through with it. Is he even 18 yet?"

"That sounds more like you," I said with a laugh. "And yes, he's 19 now."

"What a story that would have made," Sadie giggled, standing up and stretching. "Goodnight. I'll see you both in the morning."

"It _is_ morning," I yawned.

"You know what I meant," Sadie said and I could practically hear her rolling her eyes.

*        *

"Break a leg," I told Chris, giving him a quick peck. "Have I ever told you how much I love a man in uniform?"

"Maybe once or twice," he chuckled, kissing me again. "I'll see you after the show, baby. Looks like it's about time to finish getting ready."

"Love you."

"Love you more," he said, reluctantly letting me go so I could go back to my seat. Sadie was waiting when I made it there, having arrived while I was backstage. It had taken a little maneuvering on my part to get my schedule rearranged, but I'd really wanted to be see Chris' Broadway debut. I'd helped him rehearse so much I almost felt like I was part of the cast of _Lobby Hero_ myself.

"I'm so nervous, Sadie - and I'm not even the one in the play!"

Sadie laughed and patted my arm, surprisingly not bothered by my jitters. "In the words of Hiddles, 'it'll be fine, darling'. You know it will be."

"I miss Tom," I sighed. "At least he'll be back in a month."

"Wow - you sure look nice tonight, Roşu," Sebastian said as he approached us. "What's the occasion?"

"Smartass," I giggled, distracted from my moping. He gestured for me to give him a spin, so I indulged him, the skirt of my new green dress floating around me as I twirled before settling again. "Thanks - Chris gave it to me."

"It suits you," Sadie said with a smile. "I _love_ Chanel."

"I never knew I would - it's certainly growing on me. So how long are you guys going to be in town?" I asked as I perched on the edge of my seat, smiling at them. It felt like it had been forever since I'd seen them, but it had really only been a couple weeks since Chris and Sadie had finished filming their movie together.

"Just the weekend. We couldn't miss opening night," Sadie assured me.

"And the mustache," Sebastian added with a chuckle. "I can't believe you let him have a fucking mustache!"

"I didn't _let_ him," I groaned. "He lost the bet, so the beard had to go. _He's_ the meatball who decided he wanted to keep a mustache for some unknown reason. Now he's gotta keep it for the entire run of the show because the director _likes_ it."

"Do I want to know what the bet was about?" Sadie asked, quirking a brow at me.

"No!" I said blushing wildly and cursing myself for even mentioning it in front of them.

"I'm going to ask Chris later tonight," Sebastian said, giving me a slow, wicked grin - the one that reminded me of the Grinch getting an idea. "I _have_ to know if it makes you blush like that, Roşu."

"He'd tell you, too," I muttered, flushing even more. I was certain I was almost as red as the theater's velvet seat cushions by now. 

"I know he would," Sebastian laughed, putting his arm around Sadie and murmuring in her ear. She laughed and playfully squeezed his leg right on his ticklish spot, making him squirm and chuckle.

"So how's life at the lake?" I asked as Sebastian took her hand in his, twining their fingers together.

"It's been good," Sadie said, looking up at him.

"I never thought I'd say it," Sebastian said, looking at Sadie but talking to both of us. "But I _like_ being at the lake. I still miss the lights and noise of the city, don't get me wrong-"

"And the coffee shops on every corner," Sadie teased him with a soft smile.

"Yeah, those too," Sebastian laughed. "But I wouldn't change it for the world."

I studied them for a moment, noticing how in sync they seemed. They'd always been close - at least for as long as I'd known them - but this was a different vibe I was picking up - a good one.

"You seem calmer now, Baz; more mellow," I observed. "I like it."

This was probably the most relaxed I'd seen Sebastian around Sadie. Usually he was so reserved, but that was before they'd made it public that they were seeing each other. Now he could be himself around her and not have to worry about the gossip. They'd broken the internet with their adorable dating announcement - and overwhelming fan support. I'd known Bucklyn was a popular ship - I just hadn't realized how popular until then.

"Thanks," Sebastian said, slinging one arm around my shoulders and pulling me in for a hug. He kissed my temple when I got closer and I leaned into him, inhaling his distinct scent; I'd missed his hugs and having him here to goof around with. "We're making the most of our downtime before the next press tour starts in April."

"It's going to be a doozy," I agreed. I wasn't looking forward to it one bit; it was going to make all the other press tours I'd done with Sadie look like a walk in the park. "I've really missed you guys!"

"So come out to the lake for a while," Sadie urged me.

"Chris isn't going to have much free time until this run is over anyway," Sebastian added, rubbing my back lightly. "Speaking from experience here."

I thought about her suggestion and decided that was a great idea. I was kind of lonely with them being out of town and the long hours Chris was putting in right now. My other friends were all busy and other than social media, I didn't see much of them right now.

"Well, I do have to go back to California for a while; maybe I'll stop out for a couple days on my way there."

"That would be great," Sadie said with a smile. "You know you're always welcome at our place."

"Even though I abandoned you?" I asked, meeting her eyes. I still felt bad that I couldn't be her assistant anymore. We'd found a suitable replacement and she was starting soon, but I still felt guilty.

"Hey, now; no long faces today," she quipped, lightly flicking my quivering lower lip. "Today's a happy day, Megan."

"That's right," Sebastian added, giving me a squeeze. "I've got my two best girls and we're here to make fun of my best friend - and his Super Mario Bros 'stache."

"I thought we were here to support him, Luigi?" Sadie replied, giving him a look.

"You are, prinţesă. _I_ hope he falls flat on his face." He jumped when I elbowed him. "What?"

"Men," I sighed with a roll of my eyes as Sadie laughed. "Hey - let's get a picture for the Chronicles."

* *

"Please make him shave that awful thing off!" Sadie whispered to me across a grinning Sebastian when she got a good look at Chris. "It's hideous!"

"I can't," I hissed quietly. "The director likes it."

We sat back to watch the rest of the play. It was actually really good - and Chris looked pretty damn good in that uniform. Chris looked pretty damn good in any uniform...and even better without it.

We went to meet Chris backstage afterwards and Sadie and I just laughed as Sebastian made fun of his mustache. Chris was in a great mood and was prepared for Sebastian's razzing, giving back as good as he got and reminding Sebastian of the mustache he'd been sporting last year at this time for _I, Tonya_ that I'd forgotten about.

* *

"So how are the wedding plans going?" Sadie asked while we waited for Chris to get changed back into his street clothes. Sebastian was over talking to some people he knew and we were comfortable right where we were.

"Still struggling to pick a date," I sighed. "Our schedules are horrible for about the next four to six months for sure...maybe longer if Chris gets that role he auditioned for two weeks ago." She smiled understandingly. I'd known what I was getting into when I'd agreed to marry an actor. "So what's really bugging you, Sadie? No B.S."

I watched with interest as she looked over my shoulder to see where Sebastian was before whispering to me. "I'm late, Megan."

"How late?"

"At least a week?"

I have no idea what my expression showed, but you could've knocked me over with a feather at the moment. "I'm guessing this is a surprise?" I whispered back, taking her hands in mine firmly.

"It's definitely a surprise to me," she murmured, looking a little concerned. "I'm freaking out a little bit."

"It'll be okay. Have you told Baz yet?" I asked, squeezing her hands to get her to stop worrying. I wasn't sure why she'd be worried about the possibility of being pregnant - if it was up to Sebastian, they'd probably already be engaged or married - he was _that_ devoted to her.

"No - I just realized it today when I was packing and double checking my calendar to see if I had forgotten anything. I'm never late - not since I stopped nursing, at least - and that was _years_ ago." 

"It'll be okay either way, Sadie," I assured her. "He'd be a great dad. The boys think so, too."

"I'm just a little worried that this is happening too soon," she said, worrying her lower lip. "I mean we just started dating a month ago."

"Add a year to that and you'd be closer to accurate," I said, shaking my head. "He's loved you from the moment you met, Sadie. Can you honestly even see yourself with anyone other than Sebastian anymore?"

"No; I can't," she admitted with a small smile. "I'm just making a mountain out of a molehill. Forget I said anything."

"If you want -" I rapidly changed my intended sentence as Sebastian started approaching and I knew he'd be able to hear me. "I'll see if Chris wants to grab a bite to eat and we can meet you somewhere."

"I think we'll have to take a raincheck," Sebastian said. "He's gonna have a cast party to attend tonight and I don't know about you, doll, but I'm ready for bed. We can pick something up on the way home - I'm pretty hungry and I know there's nothing edible at our place unless Mark picked up groceries."

"How about brunch tomorrow?" Sadie suggested instead. "I am pretty tired."

"Sounds great," I said, looking around for Chris, only to feel him putting his arms around me. "Did you catch that, honey?"

"Yup," he said, kissing my cheek. "Brunch is good. I'll have Josh set something up for us. Are you feeling all right, doll?" he asked, looking at Sadie. She did look a little paler than before.

"You sayin' I look like shit, Evans?" Sadie sassed him.

"No," he laughed. "You just seem a little tired or something."

"It's just been a long day," Sadie said, stifling another yawn. "I'm normally in bed by now and we were up early to make our connecting flight."

"Well, that'll do it. I'll let you get going so you can get some sleep, then. Thanks for coming tonight," Chris said, letting go of me to hug Sadie tightly. I think he'd missed her even more than I had this past month.

"You okay?" I asked Sebastian as he pulled me into a hug; I could tell something was bothering him. Whether he'd talk to me about it was another story.

"I'll text you," he said, kissing my cheek. "We really should get going. I don't think Sadie feels well." He let go of me then, putting on his public mask as they turned to go.

"You ready to go to the cast party with me?" Chris asked, putting his arm around me.

"Lead on," I said, smiling up at him. "Do you have a back way out or something so you don't get mobbed?"

He nodded, putting on his baseball hat. "Already taken care of, but I'll probably need to sign a few autographs on the way out."

"That should make your fans happy. They don't seem to think they see enough of you - hell, I know _I_ don't get to see enough of you."

"You see me every morning, doll," he said, looking around as he guided me towards the exit.

"Not your doll, Evans," I reminded him. I would answer to almost any other endearment - except that one.

"Sorry; I haven't done that one in a while." He kissed my temple, meeting my eyes briefly as security prepared to open the doors for us, gesturing for us to wait a moment while they made sure it was safe for us. "Are they bringing my car around, John?"

"It's on the way, Chris. Traffic's pretty bad right now," the security guard answered with an apologetic look. "And there's a bigger crowd tonight than we thought there'd be. Had to ask the NYPD for an assist."

He opened the door then and if he said anything else I couldn't hear him over the noise of the fans. Several security guards stood alongside the barricades they'd had to put up behind the theatre, keeping a careful eye on the fans while we waited for our car to be brought up. I smiled, keeping well back from the crowds until they noticed me and started yelling my name, too. One of the police officers waved me over.

"They want your autograph too, Miss Jones. I'm to stay right next to ya," he said in a heavy New York accent.

I nodded understanding what he meant before smiling and taking the proffered Sharpies. I talked with fans, scrawling my name over the papers that were thrust in my direction. I took several selfies with fan phones, making them happy. Chris and I posed for them for a moment after our car pulled up and I was almost blinded by the flashes.

"That was interesting. I wasn't expecting that," I told Chris when we got in. "Is it like that every night?"

"Yup," Chris said, leaning over and giving me a kiss. "Thank you, baby. You really made their night."

"It's still strange that they want my autograph when they're here to see you."

"Did you notice how many of those girls had red hair?"

"I did. Think I should dye my hair blond?" I asked him, already knowing the answer.

"No," he growled, pulling me into his lap and kissing me soundly. "I like your hair just the way it is, Firecracker."

"You've been talking to Robert again, haven't you," I asked, snuggling into his arms and resting my head on his broad shoulder.

Chris laughed. "Guilty as charged. I'm so glad you could be here tonight, baby."

"Me too. It's not every day my honey has his Broadway debut."


	33. Sadie and Sebastian Bonus

Sebastian's POV

As I held Sadie later that night, her head on my shoulder and our limbs comfortably entangled, I thought again about how she'd seemed a little distant today at times and wondered if she'd been thinking about Justin again.

I slowly reached over and snagged my phone off the nightstand, trying not to wake Sadie. I opened the conversation I'd had with Megan earlier to reread it again, wondering if she'd said anything more.

_Me: Did she say anything_ _to you?_

**Megan: About what?**

_Me: Whatever it is that's_ _bothering her._

**Megan: You didn't do anything** **wrong if that's what** **you're wondering.**

_Me: The thought had crossed_ _my mind. I just can't read_ _her today for some reason._

**Megan: Bazzzz.**

**She's not mad at you.** **Promise.**

_Me: Then what?_

_Justin?_

**Megan: NO! STOP FREAKING OUT!**

_Me: Easier said than done_.

**Megan: TALk to Sadie. Ask her** **what she's thinking.** **Might take some pushing.**

_Me: You know. Tell me._

**Megan: Not my place to say** **anything. Gotta go.** **We're at the party now.**

I smiled again at her emoji response - typical Megan. If someone had told me six months ago that Sadie's young, petite assistant would become one of my best friends, I'd have laughed in their face. Who could've imagined that the accident-prone redhead would catch Chris' eye or become like another member of our eclectic Marvel family - even though she wasn't actually in any of the movies? I was so thankful I'd been given the chance to play Bucky; I wouldn't have this family, my best friends or the love of my life if I'd never taken the role. I'd finally found the place where I belonged - with Sadie.

*      *

I woke up feeling like something was wrong. Sadie had moved away from me in her sleep and was curled into a tight ball on the other side of our king sized bed. I reached over to pull her close again, stopping when she resisted.

"You okay, doll?" I rasped groggily, leaning over her and rubbing her shoulder lightly. "What's wrong?" I brushed her hair out of her face to see that she was awake, her eyes screwed shut and her arms pressed to her abdomen in a way I recognized.

"Cramps?" I asked and she nodded, exhaling slowly. "I'll grab your pills, doll." I kissed her shoulder before rolling away and getting out of bed. Sadie didn't usually get period cramps, but when she did, they were awful - doubling her over in pain to the point she found it hard to move out of fetal position. "Where are they?"

"Bathroom?" she huffed, sounding unsure. "Can't 'member if I packed 'em."

"I'll find something," I promised, turning on the bathroom light to search through the amber bottles in her toiletry bag for the right one. Not seeing it, I grabbed the bottle of Motrin and the muscle relaxants from a back injury she'd received during filming a while back that she'd forgotten here. I turned on the bedside lamp and handed her the bottles to let her decide what to take.

"Will these work, doll? I didn't see your regular pills."

"Close enough," she said, popping the tops off and pouring a couple of each into her hand before handing the bottles back to me. "Thanks." I handed her the bottle of water she'd left on her nightstand to wash them down, watching her wince as she left her comfort position.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked, rubbing her back as she curled into a ball on her side again.

"No...kill me now," she groaned. "Do we have a heating pad here?"

I thought for a minute. "Just the kind you nuke. Will that work?"

She nodded and I went to go find it. I thought I'd left it in the living room after the last time I'd used it. I tossed it in the microwave and did some mental math while I watching it spinning. Sadie's cycle had been regular as clockwork for as long as I'd known her - not that I'd admit to her that I tracked it - and she should have started last week Tuesday.

Sadie usually preferred to sleep in tank tops and shorts (she said Chris and I were like furnaces), but she always wore old school flannel pajamas to bed when she had her period. I'd been with her at the lake for over a month now and for the life of me, I couldn't remember the last time she'd worn them - but I _knew_ it hadn't been last week.

The ding of the timer startled me from my thoughts and I carried the buckwheat filled heating pad back to our bedroom. I looked around worriedly for a moment when I noticed Sadie wasn't in our bed where I'd left her, and noticed the bathroom door was shut.

"You okay, doll?" I asked through the door, finding it locked.

I could hear the unmistakable sound of dry heaving when I got closer and sighed, knowing we were in for a long night if she was already to this point. It was a vicious cycle: the pain would make her nauseous, which in turn, made her cramps worse. I just hoped she'd manage to keep her medicine down long enough for it to start kicking in.

I was happy that Sadie didn't have crazy mood swings or anything, she just was more tired and craved sweets and cuddling more during those three to four days. It was one of the few rare times she'd let me take care of her - or get close when we weren't on set - when Justin was still alive. I treasured those memories...even if it had just been snuggling together and watching older movies while Sadie dozed.

"I want...to die...now," she groaned, sounding horrible.

"Not on my watch," I promised. "Unlock the door, Sadie."

*       *

It was a while before I could convince Sadie to come back to bed - wearing shorts and a tank top now. At least we could sleep in today; we weren't meeting Chris and Megan until 10:30. I pulled back the covers so she could crawl in and handed her the heating pad before turning off the lamp again.

I wrapped my arms around her to be the big spoon, pressing one hand to the heating pad on her belly, knowing the pressure would help her. She relaxed slightly as I did that, sighing quietly.

"Thank you, Sebastian. That helps."

"How are you feeling?"

"Better - I can tell the drugs are kicking in." She turned her head to look at me. "I'm sorry I woke you. I thought if I could just go back to sleep I'd be okay."

"I like taking care of you, Sadie. You don't let me do that very often." I pressed my lips to the scar on her shoulder, deciding to just come out and ask her. "Sadie, is there something you'd like to tell me?"

She shook her head once and I felt a wave of disappointment hit me like a ton of bricks. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, holding her even tighter, my face buried in the nape of her neck. Because I was wrapped around her so tightly, I could feel her taking shallow, uneven breaths, the hairs on my arms moving with each one, her ab muscles spasming under my hand.

My eyes snapped open the moment I realized she was fucking _crying_ \- those goddamn silent tears that scared the absolute shit out of me. No wonder she shook her head - she couldn't _talk_ when she cried like this; she could barely catch her breath.

"Breathe, Sadie," I ordered, pressing a kiss to her skin. "Just breathe, doll. I've got you." I kept talking as she cried, quiet sobs racking her for what seemed like forever. When she finally stopped crying - and started hiccupping - I asked her again. "Honey, is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"Nothing to tell," she said eventually. "Not anymore."

"What do you mean?" I asked, shifting so I could see her face. I brushed the last of her tears away and rested my head on her shoulder.

"I was late, Sebastian," she said so quietly I almost couldn't hear her.

"Was?"

I took a deep breath as I kissed her shoulder, struggling to wrap my head around things. I'd thought about that possibility earlier, and it still hadn't sank in - but I wanted that with Sadie. I wanted...I wanted us to be a family - Sadie, the boys...and our baby; I wanted it something fierce. My heart hurt for the lost chance...funny just _how much_ you can miss something you've never had.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault," I said, shifting her so we were face to face, her gorgeous golden brown eyes shiny and her long lashes still damp. "I love you, Sadie - and I would _love_ to have a baby with you."

"You would?" she asked incredulously, studying my expression. "Seriously?"

"I've never wanted anything more." I cupped her face, stroking her cheekbone with my thumb; she finally had some color again. "I'm sorry this wasn't it, but it's okay, doll."

"We've been careful," Sadie said, swiping at her eyes as tears starting leaking out again. "I don't even know how this could've happened in the first place, Sebastian."

I knew very well we hadn't been as careful as we probably should have, but now wasn't the time to mention _that_ if I ever wanted shower sex again - pulling out wasn't exactly 100% effective. It didn't help she felt so damn incredible or that she enjoyed bareback just as much as I did.

"I'm all for not being careful anymore," I said sincerely.

"Sebastian, are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely positive," I said, capturing her soft pink lips in a heated kiss. "Marry me, Sadie," I said when we finally had to break for air.

Sadie's shocked eyes darted to mine as the words sank in and I knew it was still too soon, but you couldn't blame me for trying. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her - and I was pretty sure she felt the same.

"Baby steps, Sebastian," she reminded me, not saying no but not saying yes, either. "Our timing still stinks."

"So baby first?" I asked with a grin, pretending to have misheard her. "Works for me. We can put the cart before the horse-"

" _Sebastian!"_

"I love it when you say my name like that," I teased her, kissing her again.

"I love you."

"But?"

"But I don't know if I'm ready for _either_ of those steps yet," she sighed. "Those are both pretty big steps."

"I know," I replied, shifting so I wasn't crushing her. "You don't ever have to be afraid to tell me anything, Sadie. You know that, right?"

"I just wasn't sure if I should tell you my suspicions or not, but I guess by today, it wouldn't have mattered," she sniffed.

I kissed her forehead and shook my head. "It matters to _me_ , Sadie. You are so important to me and I've been racking my brain all day trying to figure out what was wrong. You haven't been yourself and I was worried."

"I'm sorry - I didn't realize I was even late until today when I was packing the last of my stuff. And then it was time to go and I thought I'd messed up my dates or something-"

"Calm down," I ordered, kissing her nose and chuckling as she scrunched it adorably and rubbed it against my chest. "It's okay...I just thought you were mad at me for something and I couldn't figure out what it was."

"Sebastian - I _tell_ you when I'm angry with you."

" _Most_ of the time," I agreed, kissing her again. "Not always."

"I'm sorry I made you worry."

"Just tell me next time, Sadie. I don't care if it's only a day or if it's a week - I want to know."

"Justin would have been flipping out at this point, you know," Sadie said absently, carding her fingers through my hair; I loved it when she did that. "You need a haircut."

"Justin had himself snipped," I yawned, pulling her closer as I laid down again. "So he would've known it wasn't his at this point."

"What did you say?" Sadie asked reflexively, her hand instantly freezing on my scalp. Her voice hardened, becoming the stern voice she used with the boys occasionally when I didn't answer, hoping she hadn't really heard me. "Sebastian Stan - _what did you say_?" She pushed me away from her, her expression stricken.

"Shit!" I said, suddenly realizing what I'd let slip as I sat up. I hadn't meant to ever tell her that - I'd forgotten she didn't know. "I'm sorry, Sadie."

"Are you saying that Justin had a _vasectomy_ without telling me?!" her voice increased in volume as she talked, letting me know how upset she was.

"Yesss..."

Sadie sat up, putting her arms around her knees. "How the _hell_ do you know that?"

"He told me," I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck as I felt my face flush.

"When?" she snapped. "When did he tell you?"

"The first time I came to stay with you at the lake without Chris."

"When you both came back drunk off your asses?" she said after a moment, her voice closer to normal again but still tight. "And you were gone so long I was afraid he'd killed you?"

"That would be it."

"I can't _believe_ he did that when he knew I wanted another baby! Why the fuck would he tell _you_ that? He never even fucking told _me_ he got snipped!" Sadie ranted, her eyes so full of hurt I wanted to kick myself for pouring salt in what was clearly an old wound.

"Why do you think, Sadie?"

Sadie scooted back from me suddenly, her face pale and I realized I'd insinuated her husband told me he thought she would cheat on him with me. She grabbed her phone and jumped off the bed, the heating pad dropping to the floor with a muted _thunk_ as she fled my presence.

"Sadie - wait!"

The slamming of the other bedroom door had me both sighing in relief that she hadn't left and groaning with frustration. I knew she wasn't going to unlock that door until she was ready to talk to me no matter _what_ I said right now. I walked back to our room and picked up the heating pad. I went back to the kitchen to heat it up again - it had already lost a fair amount of heat.

"At least take the heating pad, Sadie," I told her as I draped it over the handle so it would stay. "Please. It's on the doorknob, okay?"

She didn't respond, and I knew she was crying again. I slowly walked away and went back to our bed, grabbing Sadie's pillow and the comforter. I drug them over in front of the door and wrapped myself in the blanket before laying down in front of the door.

I noticed the heating pad wasn't there any more as I buried my face in the pillow, breathing in Sadie's scent as I tried in vain to go back to sleep. I felt almost sick to my stomach when I heard her sobbing, wanting so badly to comfort her and knowing I couldn't.

 

*          *          *

Sadie's POV

I don't know how long it took for me to calm down; I do know it took even longer for me to run out of tears - something I hadn't done in months. Yeah, it sucked that my husband had lied to me for _years_ by saying he'd be okay with another baby when he knew damn well we wouldn't be having one, but you can't change the past.

Honestly, it felt like I'd ripped a Band-Aid off too soon and torn a wound I thought had been healed wide open again. It didn't matter that Justin had been gone for eight months now; it didn't matter that I'd started trying to move on - betrayal still hurt like a wicked bitch.

I wasn't sure if I was more hurt by the omission or the reason he'd told Sebastian in the first place. _Damn you, Justin James Wilson for being a stubborn ass_ , I thought. _I should've known you'd find a way to get what you wanted._

It took a while longer for me to swallow my pride and decide to go back to bed in our room when I found that I just couldn't get comfortable no matter what I did. The heating pad had gone cold and I needed to take more pills, but it was still hard to shake myself out of my lethargy and start moving.

I needed to apologize; I'd been angry at Justin and had unfairly taken it out on Sebastian. I'd never done well with surprises, and while Sebastian had literally dropped a bomb on me earlier, he hadn't deserved my reaction - not one little bit. It wasn't _his_ fault my husband had deceived me; I'd give credit for that where it was due.

I quietly opened the door and stopped short, seeing him curled up outside the door in the down comforter from our bed. He'd even brought a pillow. I felt myself starting to tear up again; it meant so much to me to see him there.

I snapped a picture before my vision was completely obscured and it took longer than I'd like to admit to compose myself again. I stepped over Sebastian, intending to wake him; his back was going to hurt if I let him sleep on the floor for much longer. 

"Sebastian," I said, crouching down and shaking his shoulder. "Sebastian."

He blinked owlishly before reaching for me. "Sadie," he breathed, pulling me close. "I'm sorry."

"No, _I'm_ sorry," I said, giving him a kiss on the cheek before meeting his eyes in the semi-darkness. "I was mad at _him_ , not you. I'm so sorry I yelled at you, Sebastian. I needed some time to come to terms with things, you know?"

"I know - you don't like surprises, doll," he said solemnly, gently cupping my face with both hands. "I really didn't mean to spring that on you."

"If Justin was here now, I'd kill him myself," I grumbled before feeling a pang of guilt for saying that out loud. "I didn't mean that."

"I know you didn't." Sebastian hugged me close, kissing my temple. "If Justin was here now, he'd have some explaining to do. I mean, he said he didn't tell you, but I didn't know _why_ he wouldn't have at some point."

I sighed deeply, burying my face in Sebastian's broad chest and just breathing in his distinct scent as he stroked my back in a way that always made me melt into him. "I really, _really_ wanted another baby after Isaac. It would've made things a little tight financially - but we could've done it. He didn't want to...and I think...I think deep down, I always knew that."

Sebastian's hands paused and I lifted my head to meet his quizzical gaze. He twined our fingers together, kissing my knuckles lightly. "Didn't seem like that earlier, doll. Wanna talk about it?"

I met his cerulean gaze as I sorted my thoughts, drawing aimless patterns on his bare chest with my fingers. "Justin never cared for the baby stage," I said slowly. "He'd never really spent a lot of time around babies until we had them ourselves. He was okay with toddlers on up," I shrugged. "Most guys are like that, though - terrified of tiny little helpless things."

"We think we're going to break them," he agreed. "So by the time Liam was starting school, Isaac would have been a toddler, right?"

"Right - and Justin just didn't want to have to deal with the baby stuff all over again when we'd finally finished with diapers, bottles, and losing sleep."

"But he still let you think he was okay with having another kid?" Sebastian asked, stroking my face with the pad of his thumb. "That wasn't very nice of him."

I wholeheartedly agreed with him - it wasn't. "I know why he did it," I said slowly. "Even if I don't agree with how he went about it. Things were harder for us back then; even with both of us working full time, we were just barely getting by...and then since it didn't happen there was a huge age gap, so eventually it didn't matter anymore that we didn't have another kid."

"I saw your face, doll - this was more than just a surprise."

"Yeah, well...life sucks sometimes and I'm tired of crying. Can we go to bed now?"

Sebastian snorted at my change of subject. "I suppose we can; this floor's awful hard and you've got goosebumps, doll."

I looked down to see he was right - I did have goosebumps. "Well, we're not exactly young anymore, Sebastian," I teased, standing up and holding out a hand to him.

He just looked at me and laughed before handing me the pillow. "You're not gonna be able to pull me up, doll - but thanks for the offer." He rolled over and stood up with a groan, the blanket falling in a heap at his feet as he stretched, his back cracking and popping in a way that made me cringe.

"Sebastian - why are you naked?" I asked, hugging the pillow before me and just enjoying the sight of the shadows and city lights playing across his beautiful body.

He looked over at me with a crooked grin. "I've been naked the whole time, doll. The question is: why aren't you?"

I looked at him and laughed, shaking my head at him. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Hmm," he said, tossing the pillow aside and pulling me into his arms. I ran my hands over his toned back, smiling as he spoke between leisurely, thorough kisses. "How 'bout...you let me love you...and kiss you...and we practice...making a baby...I still want...one of those...with you."

"You were serious about that?" I asked breathlessly as he kissed down my neck before pulling my tank top off and discarding it. "That wasn't just an excuse for sex?"

"I've loved you ever since the day I met you, Sadie," he rasped, sweeping me up and carrying me into our bedroom. I trusted him enough now not to freak out when he did this like I used to; my Sebastian would never willingly let me fall. "Besides, I haven't managed to knock you up yet, have I?"

"I guess not; but it's that time-" I attempted to protest before he cut me off, capturing my lips for a sizzling kiss and I felt myself responding to his touch.

"I can still make you feel good, doll," Sebastian murmured as he set me on my feet and pushed my shorts off, his hands resting on my hips. I shivered involuntarily, not entirely from the cold. He started backing me towards the bathroom as he kissed me. "Your skin's so cold; why don't we take a quick shower and get you warmed up?"

"A shower sounds nice," I agreed, fighting a smile; I knew what he was up to...and now that I thought about it, that was _probably_ what had led to my being late in the first place - we didn't use condoms in the shower.

*       *     

"False alarm," I murmured to Megan when she greeted me with a hug, having noticed the way she surreptitiously studied me as we approached. I'd had to put on a little more makeup than I usually wore to cover the evidence of a relatively sleepless night and all the crying I'd done.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, hugging me a little tighter.

"Thanks. We'll talk later when the guys are occupied." She let go of me and nodded as we took our seats. "So tell me how the wedding plans are going?" I asked in a normal voice.

"Slow," Megan replied with a deep sigh. "We're waiting for Chris' filming schedules to be finalized so we can pick a date, but we're leaning towards next spring. I don't want to have to try and rush to attempt to get everything done this year."

"Right," Chris added. "We have a couple possibilities - it just depends on how long I have to be in South Africa."

"What about your tour?" Sebastian asked Megan. "How long is that going to be?"

"I'll be done with both of them before Chris is done filming," Megan said, taking a drink of water. "So that won't be a problem."

"Both?" the three of us asked her at the same time.

"Ed asked me to join him for the European part of his Divide tour!" the younger woman whisper-shouted excitedly, making me smile at her enthusiasm. "I'll be opening for him and we have a couple new things we're working on, too - I can't wait until you can hear them!"

"Baby - wow!" Chris said, leaning over to give her a kiss. "When did this happen?"

I could tell Chris was making an attempt to be happy for Megan, but he wasn't particularly thrilled that she was going to be leaving him for another tour. He hated it when she was gone for weeks at a time and there was no way  he could even go with her since we had to report in for filming right after the _Infinity War_ press tour ended.

"I just got confirmation this morning from Ed and my agent - right before we left to come here."

"Congrats, Roşu!" Sebastian said, giving her a hug. "This is gonna be so good for your career!"

"I know!" Megan squealed, reaching for Chris' hand. "I'm so excited! And my agent said that my new song just cracked the top ten!"

"That's fantastic! When do you leave?" I asked after the waitress left with our orders.

I followed Ed Sheeran on Instagram, so I knew he was already on tour in Australia right now to sold out stadiums. She couldn't have been chosen by a better touring partner - Ed was an even bigger star than Shawn. And the fact that he'd sought her out was huge. Who'd have thought a simple case of mistaken identity would lead to her fulfilling a lifelong dream?

"In a couple weeks. I'll have to leave right after the _Infinity War_ LA premiere - thank goodness Robert talked them into moving it up by a week or I wouldn't have been able to go."

Sebastian and I shared a look before he turned to Megan, capturing her attention while I kicked Chris under the table. I hadn't missed the mulish set of his chin; I knew him well enough to know what that meant. His cobalt eyes flew to mine and I shook my head at him, mouthing _not here_ to him.

 _Fine_ , he mouthed back, a muscle ticking in his jaw. We turned our attention back to Megan, catching the last snippets of her and Sebastian's conversation.

"I wonder if either of the Tom's will be in England when I'm there?" Megan asked Sebastian. "I haven't seen them in forever."

"You'll just have to call them and find out," Sebastian said. "You know they'd both love to see your show. I wanted to see your last one - but it's not like we could sneak away to Australia for the weekend."

"Not for as long as it takes to get there," I agreed with a smile. "I don't know how Chris and Elsa do that all the time."

"I suppose they get used to it," Chris said. "Just like you got used to coming to LA or New York all the time, doll."

"Not quite, but I see what you mean. I wasn't going to miss your Broadway debut," I said with a smile. "Even if I do want to shave off that _horrible_ mustache. What were you thinking?"

Chris laughed, reaching out to take my hand. "Come on, doll. It's no different than my beard."

"I hate your beard, but this is even worse," I decided, squeezing his hand firmly. "You're lucky I love you even when you're _not_ handsome."

Chris burst out laughing, taking his hand back to grab his pectoral - the left one, as always. Some things would never change, I mused as I watched his mostly convincing act - but it was an act; he was still trying to cover his shock. Chris liked having Megan with him on press tours because she helped him with his anxiety, but he could get by without her - he had for years before he'd met her, after all. Whether he liked it or not, this was something she needed to do for her career.


	34. Without You

Chris' POV

"I can't believe she just fucking dropped that on me so nonchalantly!" I ranted in a low voice to my best friends, throwing my napkin on the table in disgust after Megan was out of earshot. Thankfully she'd left to go wash the syrup off her hands; I needed to get this off my chest before I said something stupid to my fiancée. "I suppose I should just be fucking grateful I didn't have to find that out from social fucking media this time!"

"Language," Sadie smacked my arm hard enough to make me look at her in surprise. "Are you even listening to yourself, Chris? She just wanted to share her excitement with you."

I was already in a bad mood and her accusation just pissed me off even more. "She could've fucking told me sooner."

"Why? So you could try to talk her out of it?" Sebastian asked, leaning back in his chair and draining his mimosa. "You _said_ you weren't ever going to make her choose between you and her music, punk - but that's exactly what you want her to do."

"I'm not!" I protested. "I won't - I just wanted her to be with me."

"That's one of her biggest fears," Sadie added as she crossed her arms over her chest, letting disapproval color her tone. I felt a pang of guilt that I'd disappointed her with my poor attitude, but I wasn't ready to move past this.

"She'll be there for the only part that really matters," Sebastian said. "After the premiere, things'll get a lot easier. She can't be with you for the interviews; you know that."

Sadie's phone chimed and she picked it up to look at the screen before showing us the message from Megan: **_Can I come back yet_** ** _or is he still in a_** ** _pissy mood?_**

I scrubbed at my face with my hands. "She can come back regardless of my mood."

Sadie tapped out a reply. "This is good news for her, babe."

"I know," I sighed.

It didn't feel like good news, though. I didn't want her to be away for that long again. I'd gotten used to having her here with me every night and we'd settled into a comfortable routine...and all of that was going to change again.

"Then quit acting like a stupid jerk," Seb said, unamused. "And calm the fuck down."

"Or what?"

"You're going to scare her," he said with complete sincerity. "That fear is still there - it isn't gone yet."

Not for the first time, I wanted to beat the shit out of her ex for what he'd done to her. I had never once intentionally hurt a woman, but Seb was right - that kind of fear wasn't something that went away overnight. She'd still flinch sometimes if I moved too quickly towards her.

 

*       *         *  
Megan's POV

The ride home from the restaurant was the complete opposite of the ride there; gone was the playful mood we'd been in. Chris resisted my attempts at idle conversation and I'd quickly given up, playing on my phone instead in an attempt to ignore the uncomfortable silence. By the time we made it back to the condo, I was so on edge from anticipating an argument that my stomach hurt.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner, Megan?" Chris asked as soon as we got inside the condo. He shut and locked the door behind us with quick, angry motions.

"Like half an hour was really going to make a difference?" I scoffed, hanging up my coat and kicking off my shoes.

"That's not what I meant. How long have you known that Ed wanted you to join this tour? I know you talk to him at least once a week."

"He mentioned it a couple days ago - when he sent me that new music I played for you." I shrugged. "He heard some of what Shawn and I were working on in Vancouver and one thing led to another, I guess."

I walked into the kitchen to see if we had any orange juice left. I kind of felt like I had the start of a cold coming on and I couldn't let that wreck my voice now that I knew I had a gig coming up. Pulling the carton out of the fridge, I carried it over to the island and got myself a juice glass, filling it up before putting the orange juice back in the fridge.

"Dammit Megan! You could've said something to me then," he insisted, his Boston accent becoming stronger the longer he talked. He crossed his arms over his broad chest, his posture radiating anger. "How hard would it've been to say - hey, I just wanna let ya know I might hafta go on tour for a month or two!"

I downed my juice, eager to leave the kitchen. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his impression of me and shrugged. "I didn't think the label would go for it since there are others that were ahead of me on their short list - so why get you worked up over something that might not happen? What's your problem anyways? I thought you didn't mind Ed?"

"What's _my_ problem?! My _problem_ is that you're not gonna be with me like you said you would!" he practically shouted, slamming a hand down on the countertop and making me jump. "You _promised_ you'd come with me for this press tour, Megan."

"It's not like I planned this," I said, trying to stay calm. "You make it sound like I'm trying to pull a fast one over on you or something."

"You coulda fooled me!" he shouted, gesticulating wildly with his hands.

"I just thought you'd be excited for me! This is big, Chris - it's huge for my career!"

"I am happy for you; I just was planning on you being _with me_." Chris snatched my empty glass off the counter and set in the sink so hard it broke, making me flinch at the unexpected noise.

"So my career is less important than yours?" I asked, afraid of what he was going to say but needing an answer. "Is it?"

"Yes - fuck - no! I'm not saying that!" he said, slapping his hands on the counter in frustration as his voice increased in volume. "Don't fucking put words in my mouth!"

"So let me get this straight - I'm just supposed to drop everything and follow you like a freaking puppy because that's what _you_ want?"

"Yes!" he shouted, slapping the counter again and making me jump. "Is that what you want me to say? Yes, I want you with me! I always want you with me!"

"What about what _I_ want?" I asked, backing away as he approached me; I just felt better keeping some room between us.

"I don't fucking know _what_ you want! What the fuck _do_ you want?"

"You're scaring me," I told him, my voice erratic, taking another step back from him. "I really need you to calm down, Chris."

My pulse pounded in my ears, making it hard to hear and I was losing the fight with my lungs to breathe normally. I kept mentally repeating to myself - _he's not Andy, he's not Andy, he's not Andy_ \- but my body was demanding that I get away from him, my fight or flight instincts taking over.

"I am calm!" Chris snapped, his voice back to a conversational tone, but the latent anger in his voice kept me from believing him. I sidled away from him, intent on getting out of his arms reach, but I knew how fast he was. I cursed when the motion caught his attention, his eyes narrowing at me. "We're not done talking about this."

I shook my head. "Yes, we are!" I insisted. "It's over and done with - I'm done talking about this. You're pissed - I'm pissed - and I need to get some air."

"Fine!" he snarled. "Go on then - get some fucking air!"

"Fine."

I grabbed my phone and purse, practically sprinting to the front door in my eagerness to leave the condo. I heard our bedroom door slam as I put on my tennis shoes and coat. I grimaced when my engagement ring snagged hard on my hair when I flipped it out from under my collar. With a flash of frustrated anger I yanked it free - along with a few strands of hair.

I slapped it on the little catch-all table with a firm _click,_ plugged in my Beats earbuds and cued up a playlist as I started walking out the door. Maybe by the time I reached Sadie and Sebastian's apartment I'd be calmed down again, but I wasn't going to hold my breath.

 

*       *          *  
Chris' POV

I ran my hands through my hair in frustration, not knowing what to think. It was probably best that she'd stopped me when she had - I could tell I was starting to scare her. I never thought she'd walk away from me like that, but maybe I had been a bit of a jerk today. I heard the front door shut - even when she was angry Megan didn't slam the door; I would have felt better if she had, I decided.

Knowing she was gone, I went back into the kitchen to clean up the broken glass in the sink because I knew Megan would cut herself if she did it and I didn't want to have to take her for stitches again. I didn't even know _why_ I'd set it down that roughly. I knew better - this wasn't the first time I'd broken a glass in this sink.

A glance at the time showed me it was almost time for me to get ready if I was going to make it to the theater before the crowds started lining up outside. I changed into a plain white t-shirt right out of the dryer and grabbed my backpack and a hat from the bedroom.

I pulled on my shoes and my leather jacket, fishing my keys out of the bowl on the little table by the door. I stopped short when I saw Megan's engagement ring sitting there on the wooden surface. I picked it up with an unsteady hand and stared at it, hoping to God that this didn't mean what I thought it did.

I slid it onto my pinky finger but it only went about halfway on - her hands were so tiny compared to mine. I pulled out my phone and called her, just wanting to hear her voice. I wasn't surprised when it went to voicemail - she wouldn't answer a call from me until she was ready to talk - which could take a while.

"Baby- I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I'm so sorry I yelled at you and said stupid shit. I didn't mean it; I didn't. Come home, baby. I love you."

I ended the call and searched for the songs I wanted - ironically something Megan had sent me a while back when she'd been on a country kick. I sent them back to her, knowing she'd understand. _Yours_ by Russell Dickerson, and _Fight For You_ by Grayson Reed.

I took her ring back to our room and placed it in the colorful ceramic pinch-pot bowl on our dresser. My niece, Stella, had made it for Megan for Christmas; that was where she usually set her jewelry at night. She didn't wear it to sleep anymore - not since she'd accidentally scratched us both in her sleep not long after we'd gotten engaged.

I sank down on the unmade bed, just hoping she'd respond to me, but she didn't. As I stared at my phone, it rang - but it wasn't the person I'd hoped to hear from. I sighed and answered it, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Ma - I'm so glad you called. I think I really fucked up."

 

*        *           *

Megan's POV

I found the fortune cookies on the kitchen counter when I went to refill my water and brought them back with me, tossing them to Sadie and Sebastian. I unwrapped mine and broke it in half, popping a piece in my mouth while I read my fortune. I couldn't help but laugh because it was just so fitting.

"Let's hear it," Sebastian said, raising an eyebrow at me.

" _Marriage lets you annoy one special person for the rest of your life_ \- I'm so putting that on Instagram." I took a picture to post later as Sebastian burst out laughing.

"No way – it doesn't say that!" Sadie said, leaning over my shoulder to see it. "Never mind, it really does. So who's doing the annoying - you or Chris?"

"Me of course!" I said as Sebastian handed me his to read because he was still laughing over my fortune. " _If you want the rainbow, you will have to tolerate the rain_. Fitting, Baz." I thought that described his and Sadie's relationship pretty well; they were just now starting to get past the rain, I decided.

"I know," he said with a grin, taking the slip of paper back from me. "That's what I thought, too."

"Coincidentally, mine is pretty spot on as well," Sadie said with a shake of her head. " _A great pleasure in life is doing what others say you can't_.

"Now you have to add 'in bed' at the end of them," I said, grinning at them both. We burst into helpless laughter as we reread them that way.

"It still crazy how we all randomly got messages that meant something to us," Sadie said when we finally stopped laughing.

"No wonder people use the numbers to play the lottery," I said, smothering a yawn, suddenly tired now that I was done laughing. "What time do you leave tomorrow?"

"Our flight isn't until 2," Sadie said with a yawn of her own. "Did you want to meet for breakfast?"

"Yeah. I should probably get going."

"You know you can always stay here, Roşu," Sebastian said, studying me. "Mi casa is su casa."

I slumped over and gave him a side hug, letting him pull me into his arms for a proper hug. "Thanks, but I'm ready to go home," I murmured, resting my head on his shoulder; Sebastian's hugs were always great.

"Home, huh?" he said, amusement in his voice. "I suppose this place doesn't feel like home to you, does it?"

"Nope. Not like our other place did," I said, kissing his cheek. "Thanks for the offer, Baz - but you know as well as I do that if I don't go home Chris is gonna be knocking on your door by midnight - or sooner."

"Yeah, you're probably right. See you later, kid." Sebastian let go of me and I jumped at Sadie, startling her momentarily with my sneak attack hug but she only shook her head and hugged me back.

"You've been spending too much time with Chris," she laughed. "I miss having you around all the time."

"Same. I still think you mostly hired me to be your companion, Sadie," I told her with a grin as I stood up. Sebastian's expression told me he hadn't expected me to figure that out, but Sadie - she knew; he couldn't pull the wool over her eyes.

While it'd taken a lot of effort to unravel her calendar when I'd first started, after that it hadn't been hard to keep up. Did I make her life easier, yes - but I'd always thought Sadie had been in more need of a friend than an employee back then. I did more for her when she traveled, but having a companion willing to go all over the world with you was nice. She needed someone to keep her from being so serious all the time - someone who could make her laugh and not let her get overwhelmed by grief while letting her still grieve.

"Added perk," Sadie only said as Sebastian pulled her into his arms. "See you tomorrow."  


 

*     *    *  
Chris' POV

I looked at my phone one last time before getting ready to go on stage again, relieved to finally see a short response from Megan - just four little words - the name of a song and its artist.

 _The Motions._ Matthew West.

I quickly found it on YouTube and listened to it, understanding what she was trying to tell me - she was going to do this tour whether I was on board with it or not. Megan wasn't really ambitious, but I knew she also wanted to prove to the world that she wasn't a one-hit wonder and she was more than just my fiancée.

"Chris - you ready?" Bel Powley asked, knocking just before she opened my dressing room door. "It's almost time to go on again."

I set my phone down and smiled at her. "Yeah. I am now."

Bel looked at me for a long moment and smiled in return. "I told you she'd forgive you for being an arse; I would've made you sweat for longer."

My lips quirked at her remark. "I'm not forgiven yet," I explained as I grabbed the rest of my costume and followed her out the door. "But at least she finally responded back to me."

"Next time try not to put your foot in it, yeah?"

"Yeah," I rubbed the back of my neck. "I'll try not to, but no promises."

* *

Everything was dark when I finally made it back to our condo after the second show. The smell of Megan's jasmine shampoo and that vanilla sugar cookie lotion that I loved greeted me as I walked in - and I just hoped she was actually home. I walked down the hallway in search of her. She wasn't in the living room and a glance in our room showed an empty bed exactly as I left it.

I flicked on the light to see a half-packed suitcase on the floor by the window. My heart sank - I hadn't realized how badly I'd wanted her to be here when I got home tonight. I walked into our bathroom to see that all of her makeup and hair products were still here - so maybe she hadn't left but hadn't wanted to sleep together in our bed.

Swallowing the painful lump in my throat, I quietly opened the door of guest room - the last place she might possibly be. I sighed in relief to myself, leaning on the door jamb for support because she was here - curled up in bed with her back to the door and all of the extra blankets. I watched her sleeping for a while before quietly shutting the door again.

I quickly showered and washed off my stage makeup before crawling into that bed and pulling her close. I quickly realized she was wearing one of my t-shirts as pajamas with a pair of boyshorts - something she only did when she missed me. Otherwise it was nighties or nothing at all when we were here alone.

"Get off, Dodger," she murmured, squirming and bringing an arm up to push me away as I peppered her face with kisses, not really awake yet.

I chuckled and stopped for a moment. "Not Dodger, baby. I'm so sorry for how I acted earlier. Do you forgive me?"

"I'll think about it," she groaned, turning her face away from me when I tried to kiss her. "I'm still mad at you, you big jerk."

"I kind of assumed that since you're sleeping here instead of our bed. I love you so much, Megan. So much," I said, kissing down her neck until I found her sweet spot. "I was afraid you weren't going to be here when I got home tonight."

"The thought had crossed my mind," she grumbled, pushing me back from her with one hand to my chest. "Stop, Chris. Just stop, please."

"Why?" I settled onto my side facing her.

"Because we still need to talk," she yawned. "And I'm trying to wake up."

I opened my mouth and shut it; asking if we could talk in the morning would just get me kicked out of her bed even faster. Better to get it done now. I reached over and turned on the lamp, wanting to see her when we talked. She covered her eyes, turning away from the sudden brightness.

 

*       *          *

Megan's POV

"Bright light! Did you get my message?" I asked, giving my eyes a chance to adjust to the light as I took in his features. That little worry line between his eyebrows was back again and I reached out with one finger to smooth it out.

Chris smiled and relaxed his face. "Yeah, between shows - but why don't _you_ tell me what you wanted me to get out of it."

"I'm going to England in a month, Chris. I need to do this."

"Okay."

"I'm going to have do some press myself in two weeks when my album comes out and I'll be gone for a while."

"Okay."

"I promise I'll be back in LA for the premiere, but I won't be able to stay for more than a day or two afterwards."

"Okay."

He was being entirely too calm about this and I couldn't ignore my suspicions any longer. "Are you _really_ okay with it or are you just saying that to acknowledge what I'm telling you?"

"Both. I'm really okay with it, baby," he said, his cobalt eyes holding mine. He reached out one hand and stroked my face lightly, pushing my hair back so he could see me better.

"Who are you and what have you done with my Chris?"

"Why don't you believe me?" he huffed.

"Because I know you, Evans. Say what you really want to say."

He stared into my eyes for a long moment, deciding what to say to me. "Well, it's going to suck not having you around, but we'll be okay. This isn't the first time we'll have a long distance relationship - and honestly, I know it won't be the last time no matter how much I'd like to go with you or have you come with me depending on what's going on. I don't want you to ever think I want you to give up your singing."

"Wow," I said quietly, trying to gauge his sincerity. I wasn't picking up anything else - he really did mean what he said. I covered his hand with my own, pressing a kiss into his palm.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make this work, baby. How long do you have to be gone for?"

"May, June and July for sure," I admitted.

"Three whole months?" Chris asked, his expression falling. I nodded, staying quiet while he decided what he wanted to say. I jumped when he exhaled loudly. "That's a lot longer than I thought. I figured it would be like what you did last time, you know; maybe a little over a month."

"It might be longer if everything goes well, but every single one of his shows have been sold out - up to 18,000 people a night will be hearing me sing, Chris. That's even larger than the shows I did with Shawn."  
  


*          *           *  
Chris' POV

"And I thought doing a play in front of a full house was bad," I joked, making her giggle at the comparison. Full house for me was only about 700 people at this theater.

I pulled her into my arms as I struggled to process that. It suddenly hit me how big a deal this really was for her. My girl was going to be singing in front of huge, sold out crowds in arenas the size of Madison Square Gardens.

"You can always meet up with me, babe," Megan said, drawing patterns on my skin with her fingertips. "You know that? If you don't have filming or anything else important I'd love to have you come with us. Ed said he's cool with that - Cherry, his fiancé, is coming along for part of the tour, too."

I shook my head. "I'd like to, but I don't want to take attention away from you, baby; I don't want to do that to you. Ask Scott how much he hates that."

Megan was still considered up and coming - if I wasn't careful I could easily eclipse her - and that wouldn't help her at all. The whole point of this was so she wasn't just known as Chris Evans' fiancé. Ed Sheeran, on the other hand - I wouldn't take anything away from him; it might even be the other way around - which could be amusing.

"You won't," Megan said, drawing me out of my thoughts. "We have VIP areas and everything - or you can be backstage. Once the crew meets you they'll be just like every other crew you've worked with on movie sets."

"I'll get Josh started on working something," I decided, nuzzling her face. "It's gonna be hard to not see you for so long." She wriggled against me trying to get comfortable and I felt myself starting to respond to her.

"I know. It will be for me, too. I've gotten kinda used to having my own personal heater in bed to cuddle with." She pressed her cold hands to my chest, making me suck in a quick breath; I was just thankful she hadn't wrapped those icicles around my dick this time.

"I see how you are - you just want me for my body," I teased her, covering both her hands with one of mine to warm them faster.

She laughed and tipped her face up to kiss along the edge of my jaw, making me suck in a quick breath when she found my sweet spot. "You caught me. The fact that you put off more heat than my electric blanket-"

"Geez - you really know how to bust my balls, baby."

"That's why you love me," she teased, letting me pull her on top of me.

"I do love you," I agreed, shifting her so she was straddling me and pulling my shirt off of her. I didn't want anything between us right now. "Can you tell me something?"

"Shoot."

"Why'd you leave your ring on the key table?" I asked, holding her eyes with mine.

"It was pissing me off. It kept getting caught on everything, so I took it off - wait - you didn't think-"

I kissed her soundly. "I might have been _a little_ worried; I know I was scaring you earlier. You know I'd never hurt you, right?"

"I know you won't. You aren't Andy, Chris."

"I still want to beat him," I muttered.

"I'd be lying if I said you didn't scare me today...and you really weren't your normal self, but just because we have an argument doesn't mean I'm leaving you."

"Baby, what's the suitcase for?" I asked, afraid of what she might tell me.

"Suitcase?" she asked, sounding confused. "What suitcase?"

"In our bedroom."

"Ohhh - _that_ suitcase. I reminded Sadie that she still had clothes here, so she gave me her smaller suitcase and asked me if I would pack them up to send them with her-"

I crushed her to me, claiming her lips as a wave of relief went through me. "I thought-"

She slowed the kiss, making it softer and sweeter in apology. "I know. I'm sorry I worried you."

"Especially since you're sleeping in here," I pointed out, sliding her panties down her smooth legs so she'd take them off.

"Well, I tripped and spilled water on our bed when I was packing," she explained. "I didn't want to change the sheets because I just put those on yesterday, so I figured I'd let them dry over-"

I abruptly rolled us, kissing her with every ounce of passion I had. I'd been so worried this whole time, so finding out she'd soaked our bed was the least of my worries.

"For the record - I don't think your career is less important than mine, baby," I said, pulling back so I could see her face. "I've never thought that."

"I know," she whispered, pulling me back down to her and kissing me intensely. "I missed you today."

 

 

April 23, 2018  
Chris' POV

Megan met my eyes in the mirror. "My boobs are gonna fall out if I take too big of a breath."

I let my eyes drift slowly up and down her svelte figure, my mouth watering at the expanse of alabaster skin revealed by her dress for tonight's LA premiere of _Infinity War_. Her breasts were securely contained by the bodice...unless I were to _help_ free them...Megan slapped my hands away before I could - much to my disappointment.

"You say that like that's a bad thing, baby," I said with a smile, spinning her so she was facing me. "I won't be anxious about all the reporters and interviews if I'm checking you out the whole time."

I let my eyes drink in her features, it was so good to see Megan; she'd been doing some press for the release of her debut album, so she hadn't gotten into LA until yesterday. I still wished she'd be able to come with for the rest of the worldwide press tour I was going to be finishing out for the next two weeks, but I understood; I was just thankful she'd managed to arrange it so she was with me tonight.

"Just when I think you're not just like every other guy I know you go and say something like that," she grumbled, but there was no heat behind it. "Sadie isn't wearing anything this low cut," she hinted, blinking up at me from between her long, thick eyelashes.

I snorted at her blatant attempt at manipulation. "Nice try, but Sadie's twelve years older than you and has a little more say in the matter. Did you _want_ to tell that ecstatic up-and-coming dress designer that made this especially for you that you hate her dress?"

"No," she said sulkily, adjusting the bodice again. "It isn't that I _hate_ it - I just want my boobs to stay put when I breathe. Is that too much to ask?"

I took her hands in mine and kissed them. "Baby, I _promise_ if you wear this dress to my premiere tonight, I'll make it worth your while."

Megan eyed me for a minute. "I'm changing before we go to the after-party," she countered. " _And_ you'll still make it worth my while."

"Agreed," I said quickly before she talked herself out of wearing the dress. Her after party dress was slightly more restrained than this one - which was a good thing. I was required to be there for several hours, so we couldn't slip away as early as I'd like to.

"Thanks, babe - I don't have to worry about having a nip slip all night; the press would have a field day with that."

"I think you look beautiful tonight," I said, leaning over to give her a kiss and just barely touching her lips so I didn't mess up her makeup. "That color makes your skin look almost translucent."

"Thanks, babe; I can't wait to see the movie," she said, changing the subject. "Liam promised to be my back-up date when you and the cast get stuck taking pictures forever."

"Sadie said he's bringing his girlfriend this time. Last minute decision, I guess."

"Really? I thought they broke up," she said, tightening my tie and looking over me critically.

"No, this one's new," I clarified.

"Then they haven't been going out very long. Have you met her?"

"Nope. I haven't been to the lake recently, remember?"

"That's right - I forgot about that play," she teased, running her hands lightly over the front of my suit. "I love a man in uniform."

"It was actually a lot of fun - even if you _did_ abandon me for a couple weeks."

"I never abandoned you - I had work to do," she said, perching on the back of the couch and squeezing my freshly shaven cheeks as I stepped between her legs, lifting her skirt so she could balance easier. "I'm so glad the mustache is finally gone for good."

"I think you and Sadie hated it even more than my beard," I said, bringing my hands up to caress the outside of her smooth thighs. "I didn't think that was possible."

"We did. You're lucky I didn't shave it off you in your sleep, Ned Flanders."

"Aren't you a little young for that reference?" I teased her, my thumbs slowly skimming up her inner thighs, making her skin shiver under my hands. She was so damn responsive I could feel myself hardening already; I'd missed being able to touch her soft skin like this.

"Internet, so helpful."

I burst out laughing, unable to keep it together. I couldn't believe she just fucking quoted one of my own characters to me like that. Megan looked at me with a little smirk, bringing one of my hands up to rest it on her hip. She smiled when she saw that I realized she wasn't wearing _anything_ under that dress.

"Fuck, baby!" I groaned while she gave me a satisfied look. "I can't believe you aren't fucking wearing panties. You know what that does to me!"

"Yeah, I do," she purred, moving so I wouldn't kiss her lips and ruin her makeup. "From now on you're just going to have to _guess_ if I'm wearing panties under my dresses or not."

"I might have to check before I let you out the door," I rasped, kissing her neck and nibbling on her delicate ear, groaning when my fingers found smooth skin instead of curls. "And you landscaped...fuck baby...you're killing me by showing me this when I don't have the time to appreciate it properly."

"Just for you, babe," she murmured, tilting her head back so I could have better access to her skin. "I know you love it when I'm smooth there."

Megan glanced at her phone as it chimed and shoved the bunched up fabric off her lap seconds before she teasingly slid down my body to stand up, rubbing against my aching cock on the way down.

"Want you so bad, baby," I groaned, hardening even more when I saw how dark her eyes were getting right now, letting me know she was just as turned on even though she was outwardly the picture of innocence again. She looked up at me through her long lashes with those beautiful forest green eyes, a smile hovering on her full pink lips. Her skirts already pooled demurely around her again, brushing against my shoes.

"You can appreciate me later. The limo's here and I need to grab my bags."

"I can be quick," I begged.

"Nope, you're just gonna have to wait until later," she said, heels clicking on the floor as she sashayed away, leaving me to stare after her in disbelief before cracking a smile.

God, I loved this woman. She knew me so well - I definitely wouldn't have a problem with my anxiety at all tonight. My throbbing erection, well, that was another thing.  
  


* * *  
Megan's POV

"Did you remember extra shoes?" Chris asked as we pulled out of his drive.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Of course. I even had a friend test both pairs for me to make sure they shouldn't break. Are you betting for or against me?"

"How'd you know we've got bets on that?"

"I have my ways."

"You do know you haven't made it down a single red carpet without having a shoe issue yet?"

"Yes, I did know that. I was there for all of them," I reminded him, sighing as his phone rang. I pulled mine out of my clutch to text Sadie and tell her we were on our way. Her new assistant must have had her phone because the response was: **I'll let her know.**

I texted Sebastian, knowing he'd at least have his phone on him.

_How are things going?_

**Baz: _All right. I've missed you._ **

_I'll see you in 15 minutes._ _How's Alex doing with_ _everything today?_

**Baz: _She's not you._ **

_Sorry. Can't be in two places_ _at once and cloning humans_ _was still illegal last I knew._

_*            *_

I would never get used to getting out of a limo to thousands of screaming fans. I stepped out first and got my bearings while Chris got out. I took his arm and smiled for the cameras, stopping for the reporters, who had to repeat their questions because the fans were so loud.

"Hey Liam - so where's this girlfriend of yours?" I asked as I gave Liam a hug, looking around and not seeing her. "I want to meet her."

"Hey Meg," he said, his smile wooden. "She's inside already." He didn't have to say Sadie was pissed at her - I already knew she was upset about something - and so was Sebastian.

"What did she do? Hit on Baz?" His face said it all. "Damn - I'm so sorry, Li! Hasn't she met him before to get the stupid out?"

"No; they've been on the press tour and we just started dating the other day, but Mom said it was okay if she wanted to come to LA with us. We flew in last night with Aunt Katie and Gracie. Mom let us stay at the hotel this time because they had hair and makeup at Seb's this morning and that's really boring."

"Yeah, I know," I laughed. "I don't even think I look like myself by the time they get done with me. Was Gracie missing her Sebba?"

"Yup - she was _pissed_ when she had to let go of him so he could get dressed. Watch it, doofus!" he said to his brother, grabbing me before I could fall - kid was stronger than he looked. "You almost knocked Meg down _again_."

"Human puppy - you gotta be more careful," I teased, giving Isaac a hug. "I'm fragile. Look at you - all dressed up and _handsome_." I lightly pinched his cheeks.

"Mom made me wear the penguin suit," he groaned with a sulky expression.

"Look around - do you see any guys wearing anything else?"

"Chad is," Isaac said, meaning Chadwick Boseman.

"Chad gets to have a Wakandan vibe, but he's still in a tux. You think I _want_ to wear this?" I gestured to my dress.

"You're a girl. Girls like dressing up," he pouted.

"Your mom doesn't," I reminded him, rolling my eyes. "Suck that lip in before a bird poops on it, mister."

"True - but she does more than she used to," Liam said, listening with half an ear while he took in the dog and pony show going on around us. "You do look nice, Meg."

"That's because she has to," I laughed. "I need a picture with you guys - gotta have proof you clean up good, you know."

"Meeeggg," Isaac whined. "Mom already made us take some before we left!"

"I wasn't in them," I pointed out. "Come on Ike-kick. Just one."

"Fine - if you stop calling me that!" he huffed. "Will you take me to that bakery tomorrow?"

"If I make it to bed before dawn - but I wouldn't hold my breath. Your mom can take you too, you know - heck, they'd probably deliver if you asked."

"You get to stay up all night?" he asked, sidetracked again. "Can I stay up, too?"

"I'm an adult," I reminded him. "Even if you are taller than me."

"Ohh - I am!" he crowed, smiling now so we could take the picture. "Did you break a shoe again yet?"

"Are you betting for me or against me?" I sighed, snapping a couple quickly.

"We both bet Chris $20 your shoe will break," Liam said with a smirk. 

"Well, I hope you're prepared to lose," I said as we started to walk over to the barricades. Alex was gesturing for us to join her; I could hear that the fans wanted mine, Liam, and Isaac's autographs. I almost tripped over my dress when the strap of my shoe broke, detaching from the sole mid-stride and leaving the shoe behind like Cinderella.

"I think you spoke too soon, Cinder-elly," Liam grinned, telling Isaac to steady me while he knelt before me to help me step out of my other shoe. Liam handed them to me so I could see the damage for myself.

"Darn it - I really liked these ones," I complained as camera's flashed at us again, seeing my predicament. I hiked up my dress so I could walk over to Alex and handed her my shoes.

"Spares in your car?" she asked with a grin. I nodded. "Sadie said this would probably happen."

* *

"Heard you broke them already," Tom Holland said with a smirk as he and Letitia Wright joined us, giving me a hug.

"Yup," I said, sticking out a bare foot and kicking him. "Tom, did you sabotage my shoes?"

"Now why would I do something like that?" His smirk got wider and I looked at him in disbelief.

"Thomas Stanley Holland - I'm going to kill you!"

"Have to catch me first!" he laughed, dashing out of my reach. "Sorry - not sorry!"

I saw Sadie smiling at us from where she was talking to the reporters with Chris and Sebastian and she waved us over. I gave up on my pursuit of Tom, knowing I wouldn't be able to catch him in this dress.

* *

"You have Kleenex, right?" I asked Liam as I picked up the little packet Josh had made sure to leave here for me.

"Of course," he scoffed. "You know how Mom gets at these things."

"Just checking. So where'd your date get banished to?"

"Nosebleed section," he said, standing up and looking around for her. "You see the lady in pink? She's right behind her."

"The blue or the cream colored dress?" I asked, squinting to see her. Liam wasn't kidding about the nosebleed section; this was a huge theater.

"White-ish."

"I'm gonna go 'splain a few things to the ho. Stay here."

"Be glad you weren't there, Meg," he grimaced. "She ignored me to flirt with Seb the whole way here."

"Did he tell her to knock it off?"

"Yup - but she didn't stop. Then I swear she was trying to feel Seb up right in front of me and Mom. I don't want anything to do with her; she made Mom _really_ upset-"

"But with all the reporters around, they couldn't cause a scene," I finished. Sebastian had said as much - and he was right. I sighed - stupid gold-digger. I was just glad they weren't staying at Sebastian's so she couldn't try to do anything worse.

"No press in here yet...and I'm small potatoes next to your mom or Baz," I said, rubbing my hands together gleefully. "I'll be back. Isaac - don't drink my pop! I _just_ got over strep and you get that enough already. You have your own, you know."

"Okay," he said, playing with his phone, taking his hand away from my drink. I made a mental note to remind Sadie to watch him for strep symptoms just in case. The kid had no personal boundaries when it came to family drinks or food, which had included me since the first time we'd met.

I quickly texted Alex as I walked and had her make arrangements for Liam's ex-girlfriend to be put on the first flight tonight back to wherever the hell she came from. She wasn't going get a second opportunity to ruin tonight if I had anything to say about it. 

I studied the girl as I meanderingly approached her. I was amused by how she watched with barely concealed interest as I greeted some friends that I hadn't seen in a while, showing off my ring and accepting congratulations on my album's success. I'd managed to crack the top 20 twice in less than two weeks - which was pretty amazing.

From farther away, she'd been pretty. Up close, I could tell she had on way too much makeup and her sheer layered dress left nothing to the imagination...and sheltered little Liam definitely didn't stand a chance against someone like her.

"Hi," I said as I came to a stop. "I'm Megan."

"Yeah, I know who you are; there's not exactly a lot of carrot tops around here. I'm Jade."

The girl wasn't doing anything to improve my opinion of her, that's for sure. "I heard all about how you pathetically threw yourself at Sebastian."

"I couldn't help it," she smirked, inspecting her nails. "He was looking so fine in that suit. Don't get me started on those muscles. Mmm-hmm-mmm."

I'd already taken her measure and found her lacking - apparently she thought her looks or her tits would get her everything because she definitely didn't have a brain to say that to me. "That's no excuse. Every man here tonight is dressed to the nines - are you going to grope them, too?"

"Why do you care?"

Her tone had me smiling in a way that would have terrified any of the men I knew. "I have the ability to socially annihilate you, so listen up, you little bitch. You'll be getting an itinerary shortly from Sadie's assistant. Follow it."

"I'm not leaving and you can't make me," she sneered.

"Oh, but I can," I replied confidently, beckoning to the security guard that I'd talked with earlier.

"This is the person I told you about earlier, Bruno. She's already admitted to assaulting Mr Stan; I'm concerned about his safety if she remains at the event."

Bruno looked at Jade disapprovingly and nodded. "I completely agree with your assessment, Miss Jones. We'll make sure she vacates the premises and doesn't speak to the press," he said. "Please enjoy the show, Miss Jones."

"Thank you, Bruno," I said to him, moving back as he indicated the girl should stand up. "I'll inform Mr Stan and Mrs Wilson the problem's been dealt with satisfactorily."

"You're an even bigger bitch than I thought you'd be," she spat. "I hate you!"

"No one messes with my family and gets away with it," I said, waving goodbye with my left hand so she could see my ring. A glance at my phone showed a thumbs up emoji from Alex.

"Darling, if you're done dealing with this _person_ ,"  Tom Hiddleston kissed my cheek, putting an arm around me and making his opinion of the girl known. "I would be pleased to escort you back to your seat."

Maybe it was petty of me, but I relished the way the bitch shrank under Tom's disapproving gaze and turned her back to me, meekly following the direction of Bruno. At least she knew when she was beaten.

"Thank you, Tom," I said, allowing him to lead me away. "Aren't you supposed to be back with the others?"

"I'm working my way there," he said with a smile. "You were wonderful, darling. I have a feeling poor Liam will be much more circumspect about the company he keeps in the future."

*     *

"She's gone," I told Liam as I settled into my seat. "Please tell me you used protection."

"Never got that far," he said with a telling blush. "Isaac and I shared a room with Aunt Katie and Gracie."

I smiled to myself, knowing how lightly Sadie's sister slept. "Katie didn't like her either, huh?" Liam's phone started buzzing and I could tell it was his ex - and she was _pissed_. "Turn your phone off for now and I'll deal with that after the movie."

"Thank you - I didn't know what to do about her."

"It was kind of fun, actually. I don't usually have to be a be-atch to get things done."

"Do you think you could talk Mom and Seb into letting me come to one of your shows?" he asked, changing subjects.

I smiled at the casual way he talked about Sebastian - the boys really had accepted him as a part of their lives. I thought about that for a moment, weighing the options. All the shows were already sold out, but I had VIP passes for each show for my friends or family to use, so that wasn't really the issue.

"Weeeelllll - they _might_ let you go if it's when Chris is gonna be there. He's supposed to be coming for a week and a half when I'm in England, so have Alex talk to Josh about it," I suggested. "Are you planning on staying with Tom?"

"Yup. He wants to take me around with some of his friends."

"So you can keep him out of trouble or vice versa?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Liam said with a grin.

"I wasn't born yesterday, but as long as you pinky promise me you won't do anything stupid I'll talk to Sadie about it."

He held his hand out with his pinky extended. "And Seb?"

"And Seb," I sighed. "He's gonna be harder to convince than your mom - you know that, right?"

"I promise to not _intentionally_ do anything stupid with Tom in England," Liam vowed, one hand over his heart.

"I can't really blame Seb for trying to protect you after everything that's happened-"

"I know - I get that part of it - but I wanna go hang out with my friends and do normal teen stuff."

"Fine, just no more bimbos. They're not worth the trouble - or the STD's - in the long run." Liam choked on his pop and turned tomato red, making me laugh as I whacked him on the back. "Don't worry - I'll remind you if you forget," I promised. "Put your phone away, Isaac. Looks like the show's about ready to start."

 


	35. You Should Be Here

June 2018  
Chris' POV

As I stood in my backyard looking over the people gathered there I thought _it's almost perfect – like God let me dial up the weather just for tonight_. My friends and family were all here for the weekend after my birthday and it was so good to get the whole crew here; I hadn't seen some of them in forever.

I'd been surprised as hell when everyone had showed up this afternoon with food, drinks and everything we needed for a backyard barbeque. We'd been so busy with filming that I felt like I hadn't hardly had time to breathe lately so this was the perfect way to relax.

The sun had set already and the twinkling Christmas lights Scott and Stella had insisted on stringing all over the backyard this afternoon were the perfect backdrop in the fading light. It was one of those 'never forget it, better stop and take it in' kinda scenes.

Everything was just right...except for one thing: the person I wanted to see wasn't here. It hurt to think about her when it was almost like I could feel her there next to me. She should be here, standing with her arm around me here, cutting up at some stupid ass joke that Seb was telling, or cracking a cold beer and saying cheers in god only knows what language this time.

Sadie noticed me standing on the back porch and waved me over to them. I forced a smile before walking down the steps.

"You're moping again," she said, putting her arms around my waist and leaning into me. "She'll be back in less than two months now. You're at the halfway point."

"I can't help it," I sighed, wrapping my arms around her. "This is one of those moments that's got her name written all over it."

Sadie snorted. "Yeah, it does – because she put it together for you. Just because Megan couldn't be here today doesn't mean that she doesn't know you pretty damn well, Evans."

"I just wish she didn't have to miss this."

"I know. She's gotta do this, though – not just for her, for both of you."

"I can almost imagine what she'd be doing if she were here." She'd be taking way too many pictures on her phone, posting them on Instagram to show me off to everybody that we knew – and the rest of the world.

Sadie kissed my cheek and laid her head on my shoulder. "I miss her too."

We watched the boys playing with my nephews and Dodger at the other end of the yard and I thought about what Megan would be doing if she could be here right now. She'd be loving this – freaking out and smiling, all about what's going on right here, right now.

"You okay, babe?" Sadie asked, concern in her golden brown eyes.

"Of course," I bluffed, pulling her into a hug so she couldn't see how close to tears I was. "Love you, doll. Love you so damn much."

"Love you, too, babe."

"Group hug?" Sebastian said, putting his arms around the both of us and rubbing my back. "Happy birthday, punk."

* *

It was almost eleven when the party finally started to break up and everyone started to head home. I went into our room to get ready for bed, only to see the wrapped gift there on my bed and catch a faint hint of Megan's perfume. The scent dropped me to my knees as pain ripped through my chest; I missed her so damn much.

This was the longest we'd been apart yet; I hadn't been able to see her in person since the end of April but we'd wrapped in Atlanta yesterday, so I was hoping to get to go on tour with her for a little while until I had to report in for ADR recording.

I opened the card, hoping it was from Megan – and it was. I smiled, seeing her elegantly messy half cursive scrawl on the card.

 

_Happy Birthday Chris!_

_I'm so sorry I couldn't be there today but I'm glad your family and friends could all come_. And they had – even friends Megan hadn't ever met from before I was famous. _I know you were probably a little surprised, but I just didn't want you to spend your birthday alone - so I asked your Mom and sisters, Scott, Sadie, and Baz to help me out._

I smiled to myself; that explained how she got it all put together considering she'd been on the other side of the planet for the past month, touring with Ed Sheeran. _I'm sorry I'm not there tonight, I really am. FaceTime me when you get this – I don't care what time it is here – I just want to watch you open it._

I fumbled for my phone, eager to see my girl. It'd been two days since I'd been able to have a conversation with her due to the time differences and her show schedule. It took her a couple rings to answer and when she did it was apparent that I'd woken her up. Megan gave me a sleepy smile, sitting up and turning on the light so I could see her better.

"Hey baby. Did you find my present?" she asked with a yawn.

"Sure did. How did you manage to sneak this in here?"

"I had help," she admitted, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Sorry I couldn't make it. It's not every day my man turns 37."

I chuckled. "Stahp! You're makin' me feel old, baby. I wish you could be here."

"Me too. Go ahead and open your gift, Chris. Can you set the phone up so I can watch you open it?"

"Yeah." I fumbled for a minute, propping up my iPad before handing off the call to it. "Better?" I asked, adjusting it a little so she should be able to see me.

"Much," she nodded. "Go on, open it."

I turned my attention to the shoebox sized package in front of me. I tore off the paper to reveal a box, which held a smaller wrapped box. "Aw, a box - you shouldn't have," I teased, giving her a grin as I tore off the paper on that box to find – duct tape. A layer of _camouflage_ duct tape, to be precise. "How long did it take you to wrap this?" I struggled to get it off, unable to get an edge free to peel it off.

"I have many talents, Christopher," Megan laughed, delighted by watching me wrestling with her wrapping job.

I rolled my eyes and groaned when I realized the tape was pretty firmly stuck. "Hold on – let me go find a knife or scissors or something. I can't get the tape off."

"I'll wait," she said with a giggle.

"Good, cuz you're gonna have to." I ran to the kitchen and found a scissors, taking it back to the bedroom. "Am I going to wreck it by opening it this way?" I asked, brandishing the Fiskars at her.

"Nope - not at all. Have at."

I slit around the edge of the lid and lifted the top off, my throat tightening as I looked inside the box. I stared at the small pink stick in a clear Ziploc bag. There was one word on the display screen - the word I'd been hoping to see - and I looked over at the love of my life, blinking back tears.

"Baby, is this what I think it is?" I asked, my voice unsteady.

"Depends – what do you think it is?" she said with a soft smile.

"This better not be a joke."

"It's not...I'm really pregnant, Chris."

"Really?"

"Really!" she assured me. "I love you. Now _please_ throw the pee stick away! You don't need to keep it."

I laughed - Megan hated the thought of pee sticks wandering around the house, but I wasn't going to do that just yet. I had the feeling I'd need to see that little affirmation a few more times before it really sank in. Tears of joy were rolling down my face as I picked up the iPad, touching her face on the screen.

"I love you so much, baby. I wish you were here telling me in person."

"Sorry, honey. I couldn't wait to tell you any longer. Pretty sure you'd notice by the time I get home." She pulled up her shirt and turned sideways so I could see her waist in the mirror. It was hard to tell, but it looked a smidge thicker than before, but she was still thin. "They think I'm about ten weeks along now. Normally they wouldn't have done an ultrasound, but based on my past medical history, I wanted to be sure it wasn't just another growth."

"How long have you known?"

"About a week. I fainted during rehearsal and scared the shit out of Ed and everyone else, so his doctor came and gave me a full checkup. There's more in the box - I know you didn't take everything out of it yet."

I looked back down at the box beside me and dumped it out on the bed, finding a little roll of paper. I unrolled it with one hand, setting the iPad down before I dropped it.

"That's our baby?" I asked in disbelief. "That little peanut?"

"Yup," she said, stifling a yawn. "Sorry – I've been so tired lately."

I felt guilty for waking her up - it was the middle of the night there. "I should let you get back to sleep, babe – you've got a show later today."

She yawned again. "Yeah, I know. Night, Chris."

"I love you, Megan. So much."

"I love you too," she said, ending the call.

I sat there staring at the picture in my hand for I don't even know how long, not even noticing I wasn't alone anymore, jumping when a familiar voice broke the silence.

"How's it feel, punk? Knowing you're really going to be a dad?"

"Seb?" I said, looking up at him. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," he said with a grin, sitting down beside me and slinging an arm around my shoulders. "Congratulations, man! I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Did you know?"

"Not until just now. Megan asked me to stop back in as soon as everyone left - said she didn't think you should be by yourself yet. I figured it was for one of two things and I really doubted she was calling off the wedding if she was going through all the trouble of planning this big of a birthday party."

I glared at him. "Don't say shit like that! Until we say the 'I do's' she can still back out on me."

"You really believe that shit?" he said, punching my shoulder. "You all right, Chris?"

I forced myself to focus on him, trying to pull myself together. Seb disappeared into the bathroom for a minute and came back out with my pills, handing me the bottle.

"Take this," he ordered. He watched as I took one, washing it down with some water from the bottle beside the bed. "I don't want you to freak out right now because I still have to report back how you're doing. You've only got two more months until the wedding - and at least you can have it _before_ the baby comes."

"True," I sighed, focusing on my breathing.

"So how'd you convince her to have it this year? I thought she wanted a longer engagement?"

"We had a bet; she lost, so I got to pick the date - subject to our schedules," I admitted, smiling as I remembered her expression when she knew she'd lost to me. "I wanted it to be before she left on her own tour."

"That would do it," he laughed, knowing how many unusual bets we'd have going at times. "No wonder she wouldn't tell me why you went with that date! I don't want to know what you bet this time."

"Yeah, I didn't want to wait any longer than I had to. I don't like her being away for so long."

"You all right now?" Sebastian asked, studying me closely

"I think I am. I mean, I know it hasn't really sank in yet, but I _want_ this. I've wanted this for a long time."

"I know," Seb said, flashing a crooked grin. "You're taking it a lot better than I thought you would, by the way. You didn't pass out or anything, did ya? I didn't hear a thud."

"Not that I know of...at least, I don't think I did." He only laughed. "I'm gonna be a _dad!_ " I said, grabbing Seb by the shoulders. Then my anxiety took control of my lungs again and I struggled to catch my breath.

"You're gonna be a great dad, punk," Sebastian assured me. "Just breathe, okay? Breathe for me; in and out."

"Right, breathe," I gasped, struggling to catch my breath. I focused on Seb's voice as he talked me through my panic attack – this wasn't the first time he'd done this for me and it probably wasn't going to be the last.

"Hey, if you're gonna be all right, I'm gonna take Sadie home, okay?" Sebastian said when I calmed down again.

"Where _is_ Sadie?" I asked, looking around. I just figured she'd be here somewhere, too.

"Waiting in the car with the boys; they're finishing their ice cream. You wanna officially tell her or should I?"

"I wanna tell her," I said, grinning like an idiot at the thought of her reaction. "I still can't believe this is happening!"

"Join the club," he snorted, clapping me on the back. "Let's go, punk. Bring the ultrasound – you know Sadie's gonna wanna see it."

"I missed our first ultrasound," I said suddenly, sinking back onto the bed. "What else am I gonna miss out on?"

"Hopefully nothing," he said, sitting back down next to me. "You should be done filming long before baby Evans shows up. The nice thing about babies is that they give you nine months to prepare for them, you know."

"I suppose," I said doubtfully.

"You're coming out to the lake in a couple weeks, right?"

"Of course," I said. We'd talked about this a while back and we didn't want Sadie and the boys to be alone on the anniversary of Justin's death.

"I don't think things will be as bad as we thought they'd be; at least I hope not," Sebastian said, pulling me to my feet. He exhaled loudly. "Can you keep a secret?"

I raised an eyebrow. " _I'm_ not the one who didn't get to see a script before filming."

"Yeah - you're right," he chuckled. "Between you and me, Sadie wants to be pregnant by the end of the year."

"That's great!" I said, giving him a huge smile. She'd seemed a lot happier today - happier than I'd seen her in a long time and I had to wonder if there was something she wasn't telling us yet - I hadn't seen her drinking tonight, now that I thought about it. "How much you wanna bet our kids are gonna be best friends?"

"I ain't betting," he snorted. "I _know_ they're gonna be. You really think we're gonna be able to keep their moms apart?"

"Nope - wasn't even gonna try. Do you think Megan would mind if I told her I was going to catch the first flight to London that I can get on? I wasn't supposed to leave for a couple days, but I don't think I can wait any longer."

"Not at all," he said with a crooked smile as he handed me an airline envelope. I opened it to see it was a printed confirmation for a flight tomorrow from Boston. "It's already taken care of; you'll still be there before the show."

"How? When?" I asked him in shock.

He shrugged. "Megan," he said, like that explained everything - and it did.

I pulled him into another tight hug. I was just so happy - I couldn't imagine a better birthday present than the one she'd given me today.

 

*        *

August 2018

Chris' POV

"You did good," my mom told me as I escorted her up the aisle to her seat. "I'm so glad to see you finally settling down, honey."

"I couldn't be wild forever," I teased her. "Now you can start working on Scotty - he's the only one left now."

"I'll give him a couple of days before I do," she laughed, giving me a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you, Chris."

"Thanks, Ma. You're gonna make me start crying," I teased, blinking a little faster. She handed me a handkerchief as she let go of me and I tucked it in my jacket pocket in case I needed it later.

Ma patted my arm and let go of me; I went to stand at the front of the church, fighting the worst case of nerves I'd ever had. I was terrified that Megan would change her mind and would leave me at the altar.

"Calm down, punk," Sebastian ordered in a low tone, patting me on the back. "Show's just getting started." 

"Relax bro," Scott said quietly as he came to stand beside me. "She's still here - and I've got the rings."

I felt immediately relieved when I heard the music change, proving him right. As I watched my radiantly beautiful bride approaching the altar with my best friends beside me, my heart was pounding like I'd just done a hard workout and I couldn't catch my breath - I was the luckiest man in the world because _she chose me_.

I'd seen her earlier in the day for pictures, of course - but I swear she looked even more beautiful now than I remembered - she was practically glowing. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her; Megan looked so happy as she glided down the aisle on her father's arm, smiling widely.

She _almost_ made it down the aisle without incident; I could tell the moment her heel broke by the way she wobbled and held on tighter to her dad. I immediately strode down the aisle to her without even hesitating - my damsel was in distress.

"Let me guess, baby – your shoe?" I said with a grin. I'd already decided how I was going to handle this - it would make a great story to tell our kids someday.

"Of course," she sighed. "I have spares – Isaac's in charge of that."

I turned to her father and smiled, shaking his hand. "I can take it from here, sir."

"Pretty sure this isn't going to be the last time this happens," he chuckled, kissing the top of her head. "Love you, sweetheart. I think you're in good hands here."

"I know I am," she said hugging her dad tightly. "Love you too, Daddy."

"You take care of my little girl," he ordered gruffly.

"Always," I said, picking her up and _carrying_ her to the altar – much to the amusement of our guests.

"Do I wanna know how many pairs of shoes you're gonna go through today?" I teased her as Sadie quickly slipped off the broken shoe to replace it with an identical one, handing the broken one off to her younger son and returning to her place among Megan's attendants after Megan's sister.

"This is only the second set; Dodger ruined the first ones," Megan replied with a grin. I carefully set her on her feet and her attendants quickly adjusted her dress. "You ready to do this? Everyone's staring at us."

"Well, we _are_ the reason they're all here, baby. I love you."

"Love you too," she said, her smile slightly wobbly. We turned to face the priest, who was smiling widely, amused at our antics.

"Dearly beloved -"

*      *

"I love you, wife," I said with possessive pride as I kissed Megan again on the dance floor just because I could.

"Don't sound so pleased with yourself," she teased me, cupping my face with one small hand.

"You have to admit you're glad the hoopla is all over and done with."

"I have no problem admitting that," she laughed. "Thank God for wedding planners! I still can't believe you talked me into getting married this soon; we haven't even known each other for a year yet, Chris."

"Baby, no measure of time with you will ever be enough," I said, paraphrasing one of Sadie's favorite movies to Megan, who laughed, knowing exactly where it came from. "Who's that dancing with Tom?" I asked, seeing an unfamiliar blonde in his arms. Megan turned so she could get a better look and had a satisfied look on her face when she turned back to me.

"That would be Claire Campbell. I told you I met her in London, right?"

"That's who you were talking about? Then why did Tom say he _wasn't_ seeing anyone when he came to my bachelor party."

"They're not seeing each other...yet."

"Baby-"

"I _might_ have sent her a plane ticket with her invitation... _and_ reserved her a room at Tom's hotel...with Luke's help."

I laughed so hard we had to stop dancing. "You're not even married 6 hours and you're trying to get all my friends settled down too?"

"You married me - now you're stuck with me," she teased, kissing me lightly. "Dad said no refunds or returns - remember?"

I pulled her tighter to me so there was absolutely no space between us. "I plan on never letting you go, so _you're_ stuck with  me \- foreveh."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Yeah, yeah - I know - til death do us part."

"I'm going to haunt you if I die before you," I decided.

"Why would you say that at our wedding?!" she said, staring at me in horror.

"I would! Just sayin'. You'd be my unfinished business."

"Whatever, Casper," she said through gritted teeth. "Besides, I think Baz had you beat at the settling down part - just not the marrying part."

"Yeah he did," I agreed, looking over to where Sadie and Sebastian were dancing. A year and half after they met and they still looked at each other like they were the only people in the room. "Who'd have thought a chance encounter would change our lives so much?"

"I never would have. It was pure chance that I decided to apply for that job, you know."

"And I'm so glad you did. Are you ready to leave, Mrs Evans? God - it feels so good to call you that."

"Yeah, my feet are _killing_ me," she sighed, leaning more heavily on me. "Would you text Frank so he can bring the car around in a bit? There's a few people we need to say goodbye to before we leave or we'll never hear the end of it."

"Love to. Are you ready for the honeymoon?"

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there."

She gave me a dirty look. "You know I hate surprises, Chris. _That_ didn't change just because you changed my last name."

"I'll tell you in the car," I hedged, kissing her again. "Or when we get back to our room; we haven't tried out the Jacuzzi yet."

"Hmm," she murmured, nipping at my lower lip. "I think we can make time for that...if you'll give me a foot rub first."

"Deal!" I agreed quickly; I knew she'd be putty in my hands then. "We don't have to be at the airport for a couple hours yet. So who do we _have_ to see before we can go?"

* *

"I think I need a vacation from our _vacation_ ," Megan said as we waited for the plane back to Boston to take off.

"Sounds good to me." I linked fingers with her, running my thumb over her wrist lightly. I wasn't looking forward to having to share her with the world again; I'd loved having her all to myself this past week and a half. "How about a stay-cation? Just you and me and we don't even hafta eave the house if we don't wanna - or get outta bed?"

"Tempting," she sighed, leaning into me tiredly. Pregnancy was starting to catch up with her and she was tired all the time. "I still have two weeks before I have to leave for my tour, but I have meetings next Monday already to determine the final set list and finalize the travel schedule."

We paused our conversation while the overhead announcements came on and we lifted off. I didn't like the thought of her taking off to go all around the country without me, but I had to report in for ADR and a photoshoot for the _Avengers 4_ movie that was still in the works. It would only take two weeks, but that was two weeks I wouldn't get to see Megan.

"When's your next doctor's appointment?" I asked, racking my brain. "It's this week, right?"

"Monday - as in tomorrow. You're still coming with, right? It's my real ultrasound - and we can maybe find out what we're having."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," I promised. "Do you want to find out?" With all the things we'd talked about, we'd never actually discussed this.

"I'm okay with not knowing for this first baby," she said, watching my expressions. "I think I'd want to know for any others, though."

"Why not this one?"

"Well, since we need all the baby stuff anyways, gender neutral is fine. Then I'd just pick a boy and a girl outfit to bring them home in so my bases are covered. Why - do you want to know?" she asked with a smirk, knowing my answer already.

"Of course! I still can't believe this is really happening... and I need proof you're really all right," I admitted. "I still worry about how bad it coulda been if you hadn't went in when you did last Christmas."

"What if I don't _want_ to share this with the whole world?" she asked, knowing that after this appointment we were making an official announcement to all of our friends and family...and our fans. My publicist had reminded me at the wedding that we couldn't put it off much longer - even if she agreed we should get married first.

"Sorry, baby - but that's part of marrying me - you get my fans too. People are already speculating; I got another email from my publicist and I guess some pictures from our vacation already got posted."

"Of course they did," she groaned, her mood turning grumpy. She leaned her head on me and was quiet for a long moment. "I guess that's better than just being called _fat_."

I put my arm around her and kissed her cheek. "You're not fat! You're growing a human!"

Megan frowned at me. "You make it sound like it's a hobby or something. Pretty sure this is a life sentence, Evans - for both of us." I lost it at that, leaning back in my seat and laughing. "You grab my boob and I'll cut you," she threatened, slapping my hand away. "They're tender!"

"Someone needs her nap," I observed. "Seatbelt lights off - come here, baby; I'll snuggle you while you sleep."

"Fine." She settled into my arms and made herself comfortable. "I'm sorry growing a human makes me tired and crabby."

I linked my fingers with hers, my other hand resting lightly on her belly. "I still love both of you."

"Damn right you better," she yawned, closing her eyes. "You promised." I smiled to myself, watching her fall asleep before putting in my earbuds and listening to the latest playlist she'd made me.

* *

"I'm sorry for what I said when I was tired," Megan said when she woke up a while later. I helped her sit up so she could stretch then pulled her back onto my lap, not wanting her out of my arms just yet. "I should just get a t-shirt that says that and wear it all the time." She rested her head on my shoulder, just relaxing on me in the darkened cabin. "How long until we land?"

"About a half hour or so. Feeling better now?"

"Yeah...I just _hate_ being so tired all the time. I thought that part was supposed to be getting better by now."

"I told Ma we were on our way home; she wants us to come over for dinner tonight."

Megan sighed, and I knew what she was thinking. "It's not that I don't love your mom, Chris-"

I kissed her gently. "I thought you'd feel that way. I just want to go home with you and have a little down time - just us."

"Can we pick up something on our way home? I'm kind of hungry and I'm pretty sure we don't have any food in the fridge."

"Sounds good to me. I'll tell Ma we'll come over for dinner tomorrow when we pick up Dodger after your appointment."

"You're just full of all kinds of good ideas, husband."

"I try. Is it bad that I just want to spend some alone time with my new wife?"

"Not at all," she said with a smile, kissing my cheek. "But I think Dodger loves your mom more than you. Are you sure he's going to wanna come home with us?"

"I hope so - I've really missed him. She spoils him; I think she gets kind of lonely when we're all off doing our things."

"You're both mama's boys," Megan said with a smirk. "You can't even deny it."

"Wasn't gonna try," I said with a grin. "How much you wanna bet any boy we have will be a mama's boy too?"

"I refuse to bet with you anymore. I always lose - I think you cheat." She was watching my face, so I knew she saw my expression flicker. "You do cheat! _I knew it_."

I tried to bluff my way out of this one but I knew she'd see right through me. She always knew when I was lying to her. "I don't cheat \- how _dare_ you suggest-"

"Christopher Robert Evans - you dirty rotten cheater!"

"I don't _always_ cheat, just sometimes. When I want to win."

 

*           *             *

Megan's POV

"That's funny," Chris said, frowning at the computer screen. "That doesn't _look_ like the last ultrasound."

"Well, babies grow and that _was_ a really early one," I reminded him as I squeezed his hand.

My first ultrasound had really just been more of a confirmation than anything else - it had been kinda hard to tell there was even a baby there - that was certainly not the case now.

"You're correct on both counts, Mrs Evans," the doctor said as she came back in, taking over for the tech who'd been showing us our baby. "10 weeks was too soon to see a lot of things, but based on your medical history, it was the best way to confirm if it was indeed a viable pregnancy. Looks like you're measuring for 20 weeks, so that's good."

"Is it healthy?" I asked her. "That's what we really want to know."

"Heart looks good," she said, scanning through the little body. "Brain is developing well. I'm not seeing any sign of congenital birth defects so that's good..." There was a long pause and she frowned at the screen before adjusting the wand. "Hello there, little one - looks like you're having twins! Here's baby number 2 - tricky little thing was hiding behind the first one."

"Twins?" we asked together, staring at the screen and then at each other.

"You're kidding, right?" I asked, somewhat still in shock. I'd never expected to hear that - but I'd also never expected to be pregnant, either.

"Not kidding," the doctor replied. "I certainly wouldn't joke about something like that."

"You do have a lot of twins in your family," Chris reminded me, moving closer. "I said that at the wedding, baby. Remember?"

"So do both of you have twins in your families or just one?"

"Just mine," I said. "I have younger identical twin brothers, my mom has older fraternal twin sisters and my grandparents on both sides had twin siblings."

The doctor raised her eyebrows. "Then I'd say it definitely runs in your family."

She shifted the wand to a different place and suddenly we could kind of see that there were two babies in there. She squirted some more blue gel on my belly and manipulated the wand until we could get a good look at them.

"Yes - you can see them both a little better now. Here's one...and here's two."

"I can't believe we're having twins!" Chris looked from the screen to me, his eyes looked glassy as everything started sinking in. "Oh my god - we're having _twins_!"

"Breathe, Chris," I ordered him, snapping my fingers in front of his face; he was swaying somewhat. "Just breathe for me, okay? He has a problem with anxiety," I explained to the doctor, who was watching our interaction. "I don't _think_ he'll pass out, but this was kind of a shock."

"He wouldn't be the first new father to faint in my office," she said, pulling out a handheld fan and waving it in his direction; the sudden burst of cool air seemed to help him snap out of it.

"Breathe," I ordered, counting for him the way he said worked best.

He put his head in his hands, struggling to take a deep breath - so far this pregnancy had been far harder on him than me. I hadn't had any nausea or cravings - just extreme tiredness. If it weren't for the enhanced sense of smell and the various physical changes that I was able to see with my own eyes, I almost wouldn't believe it myself some days.

"Are you okay?" Chris nodded, and it looked like he was finally catching his breath again. "Do you hear that, Chris? That's our babies' heartbeats."

"It's so fast," he said, slightly dazed. The tech increased the heartbeat volume so we could hear it better. The heartbeats were so fast they almost reminded me of a hummingbird. "Is that one of them or both of them?"

"Both right now. They're at 157 and 160 - perfectly normal. They are very much in rhythm, which is normal for twins," the doctor agreed. "Plus the second one likes to hide behind the other so it's harder to catch its heartrate consistently."

"Our mom's are gonna be so happy when we tell them the news!" Chris said, squeezing my hand. "One for each of them to spoil."

"Would you like to know their genders if they cooperate?" the doctor asked with a smile. "It's entirely up to you. Just keep in mind that this isn't 100% exact - things get hidden in there sometimes."

I looked over at him, smiling softly. "Chris, do you still wanna know?"

"Yeah, I do," he nodded, squeezing my hand lightly. "Is that okay, baby?"

I'd originally said that I didn't want to, but that was before we knew we were having _twins_ , though. That changed things - a lot.

"Yeah. If they cooperate, that is."

"Well, this one here is a girl," the doctor said. "The other one, well, we'll see if we can tell from this other angle." She repositioned the wand on my belly and moved it around slowly.

"That one takes after you," I laughed, sticking my tongue out at Chris. "It's already trying to jump out and scare people."

"Scared the hell out of me," Chris agreed, kissing my fingers, his eyes flashing to mine briefly before returning to the monitor. I was suddenly incredibly grateful I didn't have to miss out on this - seeing those little lives and knowing this was _real_ and they were ours.

I'd never understood before now what my friends had meant when they'd said there was nothing like seeing your baby on that monitor, but I did now - and I was ecstatic that Chris wanted to share this whole experience with me. Hell, he almost looked like he was going to cry he looked so damn happy right now.

"Well, it looks like baby 2 doesn't want to cooperate," the doctor said, breaking my train of thought. "We'll try again from this angle...ah...there we go - looks like...this one is a boy. Both look very healthy and it looks like they're developing well."

"So January 19th was my due date," I said as a thought hit me. "At least that's what they said at my last appointment - but that was before we knew it was twins. What will it be now?"

"Well, with twins you're more likely to deliver earlier than singletons, which means you could have them as soon as Christmas, really. That would be 36 weeks."

"I guess I don't need to get you anything else for Christmas this year, do I?" I teased Chris.

"Nope. I don't know how you're going to top this next year," he said with a cheesy grin.

"I'll think of something," I promised.  
  


 

*    *            *  
Chris' POV

"Hey Ma," I said as I walked into the kitchen. She must have heard the front door open because she didn't even jump when I spoke. "Whatcha makin'?"

"Just finishing up the antipasto for dinner tonight. So tell me what the doctor said - everything look all right?"

"Betteh than all right!" I hugged her from behind, snatching a piece of mozzarella from the cutting board and kissing her cheek when she slapped at my hand. "We're having twins!"

"How exciting!" she said, turning to give me a proper hug. "How'd Megan take the news?"

"Better than Chris," Megan said as she came into the kitchen. "I thought we were going to have to sedate him for a bit there - he was so excited." She smiled as my mom abandoned me to give her a hug, talking a mile a minute and demanding to see the ultrasound pictures.

* *

"Spill it, honey. What's got you so stressed out?" my mom asked as we finished desert. The kids had left the table a while ago and Megan had taken Dodger outside to do his business, so it was just my mom, my sisters and me.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked, pushing around some leftover bits of crust on my plate.

"Well, we just know you better than anyone else," Shanna said. "And sometimes you just get too caught up in your own head."

"What if – what if I'm not a good enough dad?"

"Honey, you are gonna be an amazing father," Ma said, patting my arm.

"You don't know that - I could totally suck at it."

"I doubt it," Carly said dryly. "You're already an amazing uncle to all your nieces and nephews."

"Including Sadie's boys," Ma added with a smile. "I've listened to you talking to them on the phone."

"You even got Miles to eat his broccoli – without a tantrum – that's like a major accomplishment," Shanna reminded me. "I didn't hear _'I don't wike it'_ once tonight."

"But what if I screw up?"

"All part of the learning process," Shanna said. "We've all been there. If you're still sane after the first year you'll be fine."

"The trick is to get all the screwing up done _before_ they can remember so they don't hold it over your head for the rest of your life," my brother-in-law said as he came back in. I laughed as my sister slapped his arm.

"How's that working out for you?" I asked, finishing my beer.

"So far so good."

* *

"Baby - what's taking you so long?" I asked as I walked into our bedroom in search of my beautiful wife. I wanted to take this week's bump progression picture before we left for New York and she still hadn't come out of our room yet.

I found Megan was laying on our bed in just her sexiest panty and bra set...crying. There was a pile of discarded outfits on the floor - which was probably the reason she was crying. Thankfully, my sisters and Sadie had warned me that this would be happening as soon as her belly got a little bigger and her usual clothes didn't fit the same. Megan hadn't really had many weird pregnancy emotional breakdowns – so I wasn't quite sure what to say to her.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked, deciding that was a safe question. I laid down on the bed behind her, putting my arm around her and pulling her closer to me.

"I'm f-f-fat!" she wailed brokenly.

I leaned up on my arm to kiss her cheek, brushing her hair back gently. "You're growing a human – you're not fat - I can't pinch an inch anywhere on you, baby." Fat tears rolled down her face. "What brought this on, huh?"

"My clothes don't _fit_ anymore! I don't have anything to wear!"

"Then we'll get out the maternity clothes you bought when Sadie and Scarlett took you shopping," I suggested, kissing her again and shifting her so she was facing me. "How about that?"

"They're too big yet!" she sniffed. I wiped the tears from her face with the pad of my thumb. "I look like an elephant in them - I might as well just wear a shirt that says 'wide load coming through'!"

I tried my best not to laugh at her exaggeration, knowing that wouldn't go over well. I kissed the tip of her nose instead. "You're not even _close_ to being an elephant, baby. You don't hardly look pregnant when you're dressed."

She glared at me, not ready to be placated quite yet. "You're just saying that because I'm upset."

That was partially true – not that I had any intention of admitting that to her - but she didn't look 20 weeks pregnant to me. She had the start of a nicely rounded belly that wasn't hardly noticeable under a loose shirt. She was carrying pretty high right now but the doctor had assured us that first pregnancies sometimes took a little longer to really show.

"No, I'm not, baby. But you can wander around the house in your underwear if you want – I won't promise to keep my hands off you, though." I kissed her again, putting a little heat into it as I ran my hands over her body, lingering on her curves and her belly .

"Do we have to go to New York today?" she sighed, curling into me and letting me know she just wanted to be held right now. I ran my hands up and down her back, lightly stroking her soft skin.

"Yeah – Jimmy's expecting us tonight – both of us. And you're gonna sing that song I like so much, remember?"

"You really like it?" she asked in a small voice. "You weren't just placating me?"

"Baby, I love it! It's my favorite song of yours yet."

"It is pretty good," she said, finally distracted. "And the babies like it, too."

"How do you know?"

"They've been moving around when I sing it. I can actually kind of feel them when they move."

"Sing it right now - I wanna feel them move," I demanded, leaning down and kissing her belly, splaying both of my hands over it and stroking her taut little baby bump.

Megan smiled down at me. "I don't think you're gonna be able to feel it yet, Chris. I can just barely feel it - it kinda reminds me of butterflies – that fluttery nervous feeling in your stomach – you know?"

"Really? Like all the time?"

"Just randomly so far in little spurts."

"So are you gonna get dressed now?" I asked, slowly kissing my way back up her. "Because if you don't put clothes on in the next three minutes, it's gonna be a while before I let you out of bed again, Mrs Evans."

"Is that a threat?" Megan asked with a smirk, sliding her hands under my shirt and scraping my skin lightly with her fingernails. Being pregnant made her crave sex - which didn't bother me one bit.

"It's a promise," I murmured against her lips, her quick intake of breath telling me that she liked what she was hearing. I kissed her neck, finding her sweet spot and sucking on it just enough to make her head fall back against the pillows.

"I fucking love it when you make me those kinds of promises," she rasped, pulling my shirt off and tossing it aside eagerly.

"And you know how much I fucking _love_ it when you wear these lacy panties that make your sweet little ass look so damn good. I might just leave them _on_ you when I fuck you - how about that, baby?"

 

 


	36. Surprises

October 2018  
Chris' POV

I smiled when I read the grumpy text Megan sent me. It wasn't funny - but it was.

**_Sadie said I have_ ** **_to apologize._ **

I couldn't help but notice it wasn't an _actual_ apology, though. It wasn't _my_ fault she'd had a crazy dream. I'd woken up this morning to a pillow in the face and an extremely pissed off pregnant wife that for some reason believed that I'd cheated on her when I'd done no such thing.

She'd actually been so mad she'd shoved me out of our house and locked the goddamn door. Good thing the garage wasn't that cold yet - it was only the end of October and it had been unseasonably warm lately for LA - and I'd managed to grab my phone on the way out.

_Me: Megan you know I didn't_ _actually do anything!_

**_Megan: I thought you did._ **

**_It felt real._ **

**_There were tabloid_ ** **_articles and pictures_ ** **_and everything!_ **

_Me: It wasn't real!_

_I would NEVER cheat_ _on you! Never!_

**_I know._ **

_Can I come home now?_

**_Yes._ **

_Then unlock the door._ _I'm in the garage._

 

While I waited for Megan to unlock the door, I made a mental note to have a touchpad installed on this door and the one in LA just in case this somehow happened again - and to call Sadie later today and thank her for talking sense into my wife this morning. I'd already texted Josh so he could arrange to send her some flowers.

I heard the snick of the lock and opened the door, gathering Megan into my arms to kiss her soundly, kicking the door shut behind me.

"I'm sorry I overreacted," she said between kisses. "You don't even _like_ Kim Kardashian."

I chuckled against her lips. I'd wondered who I was supposedly cheating on her with - and that was the most unlikely choice ever. "No, I don't, baby. I love you - even if these babies make you act a little crazy sometimes. This isn't the first time you've beaten me with a pillow." For example, last week she'd dreamed there was a giant spider attacking her and had freaked us both out, waking me from a sound sleep.

"That spider was real," she said, putting her arms around my waist and leaning into me. "You saw where it bit me."

I rubbed her back lightly. "I know it was - but the huge ass spider in your dream wasn't. But why Kim Kardashian? Of all the people you could've chosen, why her?"

"I have no idea. Because she has a big ass? You are an ass man, honey."

Couldn't deny that - she knew me all too well. I kissed her again and picked her up easily, intending on carrying her back to our bedroom. " _Your_ ass is the only one I'm interested in anymore, so I'm taking your ass back to bed, wife. It's too early in the morning for this kind of discussion."

"It's 6 am."

"And your point is?"

"I'm awake now."

"So am I," I said, laying her down on our bed and capturing her soft pink lips. "But I think...we need...to work...on our communication." I kissed down her neck, finding her sweet spot almost instantly and making her gasp.

"Oh! I think we do."  
  
  


*    *    *

Megan's POV

"So did you guys get everything worked out?" Sadie asked with a slight grin, taking a drink of her coffee. "I wasn't expecting you to actually push Chris out of the house, you know.

Chris was out doing his workout, so I'd skyped Sadie so we could catch up on our gossip. Other than this morning, we hadn't talked for almost a week other than texts and Snapchats.

"Yeah, we did. I'm soooo sorry I called and woke you up that early." I still felt bad about that; it was an hour earlier there, so I'd woken her up at like 5 am her time when I'd called her freaking out because I'd thought Chris was cheating on me.

"No, it's okay, Megan; I get it. Really - I do. I mean, how many times have I called Chris in the middle of the night and woken you both up because I had a nightmare?"

"A couple times," I admitted, knowing it was more than that. She'd been getting a lot better since Sebastian was with her more. It'd probably been at least a month since the last late night call, maybe longer. "So what's new in the middle of nowhere?"

"Weeeeeell...I _doooo_ have some _kiiiind of_ big news," Sadie said dramatically, making me perk up. "Chris isn't there, is he?"

"No, just me, myself and I," I assured her, glancing at the time. "He's at the gym for about another hour yet."

"Good."

"Spill, Sadie!" I begged, hoping it was what I thought she was going to say. "If you don't want _him_ to hear then it's gotta be good!"

"You got me - okay, here goes nothing. I just found out that _I'm pregnant_!" Sadie squealed excitedly.

My mouth dropped open in surprise. "Yay! Sadie - that's so great! Congrats!" I wanted to jump up from the couch and do a happy dance, but at almost 7 months pregnant myself, there would be no jumping for a long time yet. "I wish you were here so I could hug you! Oh I'm so happy for you! Have you told Baz yet?"

"No - not yet," she said, looking a little nervous.

"Why not?" If Sadie was worried that Sebastian wouldn't take the news well, she was worrying over nothing; I knew how bad he wanted a family with Sadie. "You know damn well that he's going to be over the moon about this."

"Because I was _hoping_ you had some ideas on how to surprise him. I always regretted that I never did anything special when I told Justin I was pregnant with the boys, so I wanted to do something memorable this time around since this is Sebastian's first baby."

"I really just want you to be sure you film it because his reaction is going to be _epic!_ I wish I'd thought to film Chris' reaction. Stupid pregnancy brain!"

"I'll help you remember that for the next one," she promised.

I made a face at her. "At this rate there isn't going to be a next one - I hate being so huge! I haven't seen my feet in a while now - and I'm starting to get cankles!" Sadie rolled her eyes at my pessimism, making me laugh. "So when are you due?"

"Late May, I think - but I literally _just_ found out, so I don't know for sure."

"Guess what?"

"Chicken butt?"

"No!" I groaned. "You and that fucking saying! Seriously - our babies are gonna be besties!"

"I don't doubt it," she laughed. "Anyway, we're supposed to be in New York in two weeks for our premiere and I think I'm going to tell him while we're there. Can you keep it a secret from Chris until I tell Sebastian?"

"Yup - I love knowing stuff he doesn't know! So I have an idea for you," I said with a grin. "I've spent way too much time on Pinterest lately looking up cute nursery ideas, and I saw something adorable the other day. Just hear me out..."

* *

"Sadie says hi," I told Chris when he got home, looking up from my backlog of emails. "She wanted to know if we were both going to the premiere."

"That's the plan," he said, dropping his gym bag by the door. "Why, you plan on ditching me for Seb again?"

"Maybe. I already told him he could be my back-up date while you and Sadie schmooze the fans - and showed him the cute flats I'm wearing with my tent. Gravity is not my friend right now."

Chris snorted as he kicked off his shoes and hung up his jacket. "Gravity was never your friend, baby - and you're not wearing a fucking _tent_."

"Fine - it's a fucking muumuu, then."

He shook his head and laughed, giving up on me. "I take it the boys aren't coming?"

"Nope. Sadie told me they said something to the extent of 'they've already exceeded their maximum required dress-up days for this year' - so no."

Chris grabbed at his chest as he busted out laughing. "Which one told you that wearing a suit to the wedding was your wedding present?" he asked when he got control of himself again.

"Isaac, of course; which is funny because I know they wear uniforms to school."

"Khaki's and a polo shirt - not suits like they wear in Japan," Chris pointed out as he started to come over to me. "I see where they're coming from."

I suddenly got a good whiff of my sweaty husband and pinched my nose shut. "Chris! Go shower! I can smell you from here."

"I don't smell that bad!" he complained, sniffing at himself. His shirt was _molded_ to him - he'd worked up such a sweat.

I swallowed hard as I felt my stomach starting to churn. "I'm gonna puke! Seriously - go!" I waved him away and fanned myself with the tablet, trying not to take a deep breath and holding one hand over my mouth.

"Sorry, baby. I'm going!"

* *

I told Chris I needed to go up to New York a week before the premiere so I could get a few things done. I needed to spend some time at the studio and I really had to try on my dress before Emma and I spent some girl time at my favorite salon getting pampered. My stylist was worried the dress wouldn't fit right over my baby belly and my hair was growing crazy fast these days.

"What are you gonna do while I'm at the studio?" I asked as I pulled on my coat.

Chris was an overprotective worrywart who hadn't wanted me to come to the city alone, so he'd moved a few things around and drove me himself the three hours to our Manhattan condo.

My label had a couple of songs they wanted me to demo while I was in town and I had another one I personally wanted to record. I'd written a song inspired by Sadie and Sebastian's relationship and needed to tinker with it a little bit more to get it where I wanted it to be. Sadie didn't know it, but Sebastian was planning on popping the question around Christmas this year - but probably sooner once she told him the news.

"Well I have to go through some contracts that need to be finalized soon and I've got two hours set aside for a chemistry read this afternoon."

"For what?"

"That script you liked so much - it's greenlighted for next year sometime. I just need to find a co-star."

"That's great," I said, tipping my face up for a kiss. "You have to admit you haven't done one like that before."

"I haven't. And one of my friends that I haven't seen in forever is in town for a couple days, so we're gonna grab lunch or something."

"Sounds like you're gonna be busy too."

"Is that all right, baby?" he asked anxiously. "I should've talked to you first-"

"Of course it's fine, Chris! I was worried you were gonna be bored waiting for me to get done with my hair and nails. Emma's super excited for girls day already."

"I'm glad you get to see some of your other friends, baby."

"I know. I wish I could see them more often, but they've got lives, too. Try not to miss us too much today."

"No promises. I always miss you when you're not with me."

I smiled and kissed him again before walking out the door. I was secretly thrilled things were working out so Chris would be kept occupied, making it so I didn't have to spill the beans. It was going to take a little creativity on my part - and a lot of sneaking around - to get everything set up at Sadie and Sebastian's Manhattan place in time - I only had a week.

 

*        *        *

Sebastian's POV

It was great to be back in the city again. I liked living out at the lake with Sadie, but NYC had been home for a long time to me. I rolled our suitcases into our bedroom to unpack; we had a whole two days before the premiere but there was still a lot Sadie had to do, including a dress fitting and several radio interviews.

I checked the top dresser drawer, making sure the two boxes I'd hidden were still there, waiting for the right moment. I shut the drawer quickly when I heard Sadie approaching and turned to face her.

"Hey doll."

"Hey Sebastian." She put her arms around my neck, leaning up to kiss me. "I just need to hang up a couple things before I go."

I kissed her deeply before working down her neck. "I told you I could've done that for you so you could get your errands done."

"It's fine," she assured me, cupping my face to bring it back up to hers. "I wanted a little down time with you first before I left. I don't have to be at the studio for a couple hours yet."

"Sounds good to me," I grinned, backing her towards the bed. She shifted at the last moment so she was on top and gave me a quick peck.

"We don't have _that_ kind of time, Sebastian," she laughed, climbing off me. "Would you make some coffee for us? It's going to be a long day."

I sighed, putting me hands behind my head. "Sure thing, doll."

I watched her opening her suitcase to find what she wanted to hang up before sitting back up and scooting off the bed. I'd known her for almost two years now and I couldn't imagine what life would be like without her anymore - and I hoped that I never had to find out.

I walked into the kitchen and opened the cupboard to get out the coffee. I paused, seeing a jar filled with pastel pink and blue M & M's next to the coffee. The candy cupboard was the next one over, though - so these were in the wrong place anyways. I was pretty sure I'd finished all the Easter candy a while ago but maybe I'd missed some; bag must've ripped if she'd put them in a container.

"Doll - why are the M & M's in a spaghetti sauce jar?" I called loudly. I knew I didn't have a lot of Tupperware but Sadie didn't need to save jars to put stuff in. I sent Mark a quick text to ask him to pick up a couple more medium containers the next time he went to the store.

"What?" she hollered back, too far into the apartment to hear me well. "Be there in a minute!"

I shrugged, getting a pot of coffee started before opening the jar and taking a handful of M & M's. I went over to get a couple mugs and laughed when I found one with Bucky and Evelyn on it that said _Power Couple_ and another with a cartoon Captain America on it that said _Super Soldier Dad._

I didn't remember either of them, so they were either fan gifts that Mark had brought over for us to use or Megan finally replaced the last of the mugs she'd broken with a set of Marvel character mugs. My money was on Megan; knowing her, she'd probably ordered Chris a case of the damn things when she learned she was expecting just to annoy him.

I sent him a picture of the mug just to give him shit: _What's your mug_ _doing at my place?_

**_Chris: Mine's at home._ **

**_Talk to my wife._ ** **_I'm sure it's her_ ** **_doing somehow._ **

_Me: Want to meet for lunch?_ _I'll call you after Sadie_ _leaves for her dress fitting._

**_Chris: Sure. Give me at_ ** **_least 45 minutes._ ** **_At the gym right_ ** **_now and only half_ ** **_done._ **

 

The coffee was about done brewing, so I went the fridge to grab some creamer. Mark was supposed to have picked some up when he restocked the fridge for me but I wasn't sure what kinds he'd chosen this time. I found some pumpkin spice creamer for Sadie and some peppermint mocha for me.

Next to the creamer was a small paperboard box from my favorite bakery - with my name scribbled on it in fancy lettering. I wondered why Mark had stopped there - unless Sadie had asked him to. I loved their cupcakes - and I'd even converted Sadie into a fan. I took it out and opened it, curious as to what flavors he'd gotten us this time. They didn't make a cupcake I didn't like yet and I still hadn't tried all their flavors yet.

Sadie walked into the kitchen just as I opened the box, flipping the lid up to see two large white cupcakes with a ton of icing. One had pink sprinkles and one blue sprinkles but I didn't know what flavors they were supposed to be. There were also two medium chocolate ones with chocolate icing and blue candies on them and one mini cupcake with fluffy swirled pink and blue frosting heaped on it.

"What kind do you want, doll?" I asked, picking up a chocolate one. "Mark got us cupcakes from my favorite place."

"Your sweet tooth running away with you?" she teased, picking up the jar of candy and shaking it. "Candy and cupcakes for brunch?"

"Sure, why not? It's my lucky day." I scooped up some frosting on my finger and held it out to Sadie, grinning as she accepted my offering, sucking it off my finger in a way that made me want to carry her right back to our bedroom and not leave for the rest of the day.

"Mmm...peanut butter fudge. Sebastian, I was going for subtle hints...but I can see that was pointless. What brand of spaghetti sauce are these M & M's in?"

I glanced closer at the jar and read the label. "Prego. I thought you liked Rao's better," I said before taking a bite of my cupcake. Damn - it was so good I could eat a whole dozen of these. The hint of peanut butter in the frosting balanced the richer cupcake perfectly.

"I do. And I see you found our new mugs," Sadie said, filling them with coffee and adding our respective creamers.

"Not just replacement for all the ones Megan's broken?"

"No, honey. Ours."

"Oh." I took a sip and looked from the mug back down at the cupcakes. "I'm missing something here, aren't I?"

Sadie chuckled and pointed at each cupcake. "This one is mine (pink sprinkles); this one is yours (blue sprinkles). There were two for Liam and Isaac but they're not here today...and who do you suppose this teensy-tiny little _baby_ cupcake is for, Sebastian?"

She smiled and took my hand in hers, setting it on her belly with her hand splayed over mine. I set the rest of my cupcake down so I could pull Sadie into my arms. I stared into her beautiful golden brown eyes, needing to see her expression when I asked for confirmation.

"Doll - are you?" My voice cracked and I had to try again. "Are you _pregnant_?"

She nodded, her grin widening. "I'm pregnant. Sebastian - you're gonna be a _daddy!_ "

"Ohmygod- really?"

"Really."

I kissed her excitedly - this was really _real_ and we were gonna have a baby - Sadie was carrying my baby. I'd wanted this for so damn long and now it was finally happening. Just when I thought it wasn't possible for me love Sadie any more than I already did, she had to prove me wrong.

I struggled to catch my breath and everything went hazy for a moment. I heard Sadie saying my name and snapping her fingers in front of my face. Finally my senses started working again and I realized I was laying on the floor.

"What am I doing down here?"

"You fainted," Sadie replied with a hint of amusement. "Wasn't expecting that."

"What?" I asked, my brain still not working yet. I shook my head, clearing it. "What did you say again?"

"I said I'm pregnant, Sebastian."

"That's what I thought you said," I said to myself, for some reason having a hard time wrapping my head around that information.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, watching me get to my feet.

"I think I'm still processing. I'm really going to be a dad?"

"Yeah, you are," she said with a smile. "So much for subtle hints."

I snorted as I picked her up and set her on the counter, hugging her tightly. "I'm not always _that_ dense, doll. I'm sorry I didn't figure it out right away."

"It was kind of funny - but I know you're not. If this didn't work, I think there's also a box in our bathroom for you."

"How'd you do all this without me catching on?" I asked. "There's no way you did this on your own."

"Megan. She wanted to help out."

"I should've known," I chuckled. "Wait here - I've got to see what it is."

 

*      *            *

Sadie's POV

I smiled to myself as I sipped my coffee. I couldn't believe it took three hints for him to catch on, but I guess I shouldn't really be surprised - they weren't really 'in your face' hints.

Sebastian was back already with the last hint and something else.

"I should've found this one first, Sadie."

He handed me the little brown box and I flipped it open to see a card with a clay pea on it. "Our baby is 6 weeks, the size of a sweet pea," I read, smiling. "This is so cute - I'm gonna cry."

"Don't cry just yet, doll," Sebastian said, giving me a kiss. He put a wooden box in my hand. "Open this."

I looked at him in surprise. "You didn't have to get me anything, Sebastian."

"I wanted to. Open it, Sadie."

I undid the little clasp and opened the box to see a pile of photos. I heard an unfamiliar song and realized Sebastian was playing it for me on his phone. Whatever it was - I liked it. I picked up the pictures and set the little box down on the counter so I wouldn't drop it.

"It all started with four little words: 'Is this seat taken?' and a chance meeting," I read quietly. The sentence was printed on a picture of me on a plane that I'd texted to him only a couple weeks ago to tell him I was on my way home from an audition for another movie. I glanced up at Sebastian, but he only smiled that crooked grin I loved and gestured for me to keep reading.

"I met you 657 days ago, doll," was handwritten on a recent photo of us together in Sebastian's distinctive scrawl. "I can't believe you counted!" I teased him.

"Ever since day one," he said seriously, licking the rest of the frosting off his fingers.

"In that time, we've been to 5 continents together," was printed on a mini photo collage of us at some event on every continent. "For the record, I have absolutely no desire to go to Antarctica - _ever_ ," I told him, looking up at him with a smirk.

Sebastian laughed. "Duly noted; I didn't think you did for as much as you dislike the cold. Keep reading, doll."

"Lived in 4 different states," was printed over a collage of us in our New York apartments, the Atlanta house, my lake house in South Dakota and the LA villa we'd fallen in love with when we'd first started seeing each other as a couple. I felt myself starting to tear up. Sebastian had really put a lot of thought into this.

"Made 3 movies together," was printed on the next one. It was a picture of us that I knew Megan had taken during filming Infinity War; we were both in full costume as Bucky and Evelyn and were kissing. Sebastian handed me a Kleenex so I could wipe my eyes - my emotions were all over the place already.

"Spent time with your two wonderful sons," was printed on a photo of all four of us at Chris and Megan's wedding - one of the best family pictures we'd taken. "Sebastian-"

He put his arm around me and kissed my cheek. "Just one more picture, doll. You can do it."

"So now I have one question for you - four little words that I've wanted to ask for a while now," was handwritten on my favorite picture of Sebastian.

"Will you marry me?" Sebastian asked, holding open a little velvet covered box with a gorgeous diamond ring inside.

"Oh, Sebastian!" I breathed, bringing one hand up to my face. "Yes. I love you so much."

"Love you more," he teased, as he took the ring out of the box and set it aside before sliding it onto my finger. It settled into place like it was meant to be there. We both looked at it for a moment before I reached over to cup Sebastian's face and kiss him gently. "I think I've loved you since the day we met."

I wound my arms around his neck and pulled him tight. "I wish I didn't have things I had to do today." I just wanted to stay here with him in our own little world a while longer.

"I know, doll. I know. I always wish that - but you'll have me all to yourself tonight...and no reason to have to keep quiet if we don't want to."

"How do you always know just what I need to hear?" I asked, capturing his lips. He deepened the kiss, pulling me forward until I was in his arms completely.

"Because I love you," he murmured, carrying me back to our bedroom. "But we have a little bit of time right now."

He sucked lightly at my sweet spot, a wave of pleasure sweeping through me as his tongue flicked my skin. He had our clothes off in record time and was lying us back into the pillows. I could tell his focus wasn't really sex - he just wanted to see all of me...see if he could tell if there were any differences.

Sebastian pulled back slightly, running his hands over me lightly before focusing on my still flat belly. Sliding his large hands gently over it, I watched his unguarded expression as he stroked my skin. I knew what to look for, so I could tell my waist was slightly thicker than before and there was a slight natural curve to my belly, but I doubted he'd be able to tell yet.

"So how long have you known?" Sebastian asked as he stroked it lightly, looking up at me in wonder. "I can barely see any difference here."

"Not very long - I suspected it the day I used your toothpaste and it made me gag. None of my babies have liked minty toothpaste - ever."

"I can switch for a while. I want to still be able to kiss you," he said, kissing up my belly. "Do the boys know?"

I shook my head. "Not yet; I thought we could tell them together when we got home."

"I'd like that," he smiled, stretching out beside me with one hand resting lightly on my belly. "Along with the fact that they're getting a stepdad as part of the deal."

"I don't think you'll have a problem there," I said, holding his eyes with mine as I stroked his face before sliding my hand down his chiseled torso.

"I don't either," he agreed sucking in a quick breath.

"I need to get going soon, Sebastian," I reminded him. "I really do have things to do today."

"I know," he grinned, a mischievous glint in his cerulean eyes. "Is that a challenge, doll?"

I looked over at the clock. "You've got 18 minutes - and then I have to get dressed."

"Then we have plenty of time for me to appreciate you the way I want to," he murmured, kissing down my neck. "I love you so much, Sadie. So much."

 


	37. Best Gift Ever

November 2018  
Megan's POV

The babies had decided they were up for the day and it felt like they were doing gymnastics in there. I couldn't get comfortable enough to fall back asleep with them being so active, so I just laid beside Chris while he slept, his arm around me and our limbs entangled. I moved Chris' hand so it was on my belly, smiling when one of them kicked his hand, the movement startling him awake.

"They're really moving today," he said in that sexy morning voice I never got tired of hearing. He shifted so both hands were on my belly, a beatific smile on his handsome face. These were the kind of moments that made this all worth it, I decided.

I whimpered as one of the babies kicked me hard - right in the ribs. I quickly arched my back - it was the only way to keep them from doing it repetitively.

"You okay, baby?" Chris asked, putting his hand over mine and applying pressure for me. Just when I thought I couldn't possibly love him more, he'd do something to prove me wrong. "They got you in the ribs again, didn't they?"

I nodded, unable to speak as I worked on catching my breath, sharp pain stabbing me with each breath I took. I knew it wasn't their fault they were running out of room in there. Earlier in the week one of them had managed to turn enough so that every time it kicked, it was directly to my ribs. After a couple pretty strong ones, I hadn't been able to catch my breath, so Chris - in full on panic mode - had dragged me in to the nearest ER to see what was wrong.

Turns out babies can actually break bones - the doctor said they'd cracked a couple of my ribs, but unfortunately there was nothing we could do about it other than icing and wrapping. Chris bought me some kinesio tape, which helped, don't get me wrong - but it still hurt like hell when the baby hit that spot hard.

"I don't...know if...I can do this...much longer," I panted, tears spilling over my cheeks. "It _hurts_ , Chris. It hurts!"

"You can do this, baby," Chris assured me as he shifted so I could lay back against his chest, reclining me enough to keep the babies away from my ribs. His large hands started stroking my belly with soothing circles that seemed to calm the babies while I kept the right amount of pressure on my ribs to get the pain to fade to a dull ache. I felt him kissing the top of my head. "I know you can do this for a little longer. Just think - it's only a month until Christmas."

"That's a long time," I sniffed. "I'm not going to make it that long - I'm already huge. I'm like a beached whale!"

"You're not that huge - and it's only like 30 days away. Wait until you see what I got you for Christmas this year - you're gonna love it."

"What'd you get me?" I asked, distracted.

"Can't tell you - that'll spoil the surprise." I tipped my head back in time to see his little smirk. He knew how I felt about surprises. "You're gonna love it," he promised, peppering my face with kisses.  
  


 

*        *        *

December 27th, 2018  
Chris' POV

Looking around, I could see that the house was spotless, laundry all done and put away. The bedroom we'd converted into the nursery had been ready for a while now. We had two cribs in there, but they'd probably stay in the same one together while they were still so little. We had plenty of tiny little diapers and a fair amount of bottles.

"I think I've got everything packed now," Megan said as I walked into the bedroom. "You've got both the car seats installed, right?"

For Christmas, I'd gotten my wife a brand new Lexus LX four door SUV with all the bells and whistles since my car didn't fit two carseats safely. I was still being sponsored by Lexus and we were going to be part of an upcoming commercial for them after the babies were born.

"Yup. Even had my sisters and Tara look to make sure I did it right when I dropped Dodger off," I assured her as I picked up the suitcase she'd packed for us. "I think we're as prepared as we can be at this point, baby."

We were going to be at the hospital for at least three nights, maybe four - depending on how everything went. Our last ultrasound before Christmas showed that one of the babies was still breech and because of Megan's surgery last December, our doctors had decided that it was safer for Megan to have a scheduled C-section. They really didn't want her going into actual labor, so they'd waited as long as possible to pick a date to give the babies a little more time to finish growing.

"Good," Megan said, breaking me out of my thoughts. "You know they won't let us leave without them."

"I know. Did you decide what outfits we're bringing them home in?"

"I packed a couple of each," she said, sitting down on the bed. I went and sat the suitcase by the door to the garage so I'd remember it in the morning. She was still there when I came back, leaning against the pillows with both hands on her large belly. "This is the last time it will be just us here, honey. The next time we come home we'll have two little people with us."

"Are you worried?" I asked, crawling up on the bed beside her and pulling her into my arms, wanting to just hold her for a while.

"A little. I've never been a mom before. You?"

"I know I'll get this dad stuff figured out eventually, but right now I'm terrified. They're so much easier to take care of when they're in there, you know?" I rubbed my hand over her belly, smiling when the babies kicked at me.

Megan took my hands in hers, squeezing lightly. "Don't you rile them up now - I want to get some sleep tonight."

"But it's the last night I'll get to feel that."

"I know. Believe me, I do. I'm looking forward to having my body to myself and being able to see my feet again, though."

We laid there for a while longer until Megan started to doze off. "I suppose we should get ready for bed," I murmured. "We've got a busy day tomorrow."

"Not looking forward to being up at 4 am," Megan sighed. "But I suppose I'll get used to it. I'm just glad you can be with us for this first few months. I was really worried that I was gonna have to do this all on my own for a while there."

"I wasn't going to miss this for nothin'," I said, pulling her shirt up so I could caress her rock hard belly, holding her eyes with mine. "I've got a few little things here and there, but nothing longer than a day or two. You're going to be on lifting restrictions again for a while anyways, remember?"

"Don't remind me - that sucked last time."

"At least you'll have something to show for it this time," I teased her.

"Two somethings," she agreed. "I suppose I can't really complain since my label has been really good about not scheduling anything until my maternity leave is over. There's just a couple award shows we'll have to attend since I've been nominated, but that's not anything I'd want to miss."

"Our moms are going to fight over who gets to watch the babies those nights anyways."

"They can share - that's why there's two of them. Sadie said she and Baz'll bring the boys down on Saturday afternoon since they're in New York for a while yet. Tommy, Scarlett, and Lizzie will come by on Sunday when they get back into town."

"Tom's not _really_ going to wear his Spiderman suit, is he?" I asked. "Not that it would shock me, but still."

"No - I'm pretty sure he was joking when he sent me that picture. I guess we'll find out." She smiled up at me. "You on the other hand-"

"You're going to make me wear the Cap suit to take a picture of me holding them, aren't you?"

"What good is being Mrs America if I can't take a picture like that? The stealth suit too - it's my favorite."

"Mrs America?" I laughed. "I suppose you _are_ Mrs America. How much you wanna bet we're going to break the internet again?"

"I'm not betting," she said, picking up her phone as it dinged. I watched as she checked her messages, her face falling as she read.

"What's wrong?"

"Hiddles says he still has a cold, so he's not coming to visit."

"We'll send him a picture," I said, wrapping my arms around her and giving her a kiss. "I don't need you getting sick, baby."

"I know. I just feel like I haven't seen Tom in forever."

"He's a busy person these days," I shrugged. "That's just how it is." I made a mental note to have Josh set something up with Luke so we'd see him next month sometime - when he was healthy again. 

*       *

"He's beautiful," Megan said, stroking our firstborn's cheek with one finger as he laid on her chest. "Guess you get to be the one in charge, huh little man?"

"Little sister wasn't very far behind," I said, snuggling our baby girl. My phone chimed and I glanced at it. "Our parents are on their way up," I told her. "Lily and Levi, right?"

"Lillian Rose and Levi Christopher," Megan confirmed.

"What about Lilibeth? She can still be Lily for short."

Megan shook her head decisively. "Nope - holding firm on Lillian."

"I like just Lily," I said, coming to sit down next to her on the hospital bed. "Lily Rose sounds cute."

"Lillian. I thought we decided this months ago?"

"We did - but I like Lily better. She's too small to be a Lillian."

"Well, she certainly doesn't look like a Chloe and Levi doesn't look like much of a Leo."

"No, they don't. So Lily?" I asked again, leaning over to give Megan a kiss.

"I'll think about it," she said, making me groan. "Let's see what our Mom's say about it."

*          *

"Megan's just finishing nursing Levi but you can come in," I said, greeting Sadie and Sebastian at the door.

"We'll wait until it's all clear," Liam said, his cheeks pink. "I don't want to see that. And you don't either," he told his brother imperiously. "Nursing means breast feeding."

"Eww - gross!" Isaac said, making a face.

Sadie knocked her younger son upside the head. "You were breast fed too, mister. Both of you were."

"Moooommm!" they chorused in embarrassment. "That's so gross!"

"How are you feeling?" I asked Sadie, pulling her in for a hug and ignoring the boys' reactions.

"Better," she said, kissing my cheek. "But I've had more morning sickness with this one than either of the boys."

"Maybe you'll get your girl this time," I said with a smile as I let go of her, hugging both the boys in turn.

"Maybe," Sadie smiled. "We don't find out for another month yet."

"Mom's going to let us come with to see it," Liam said.

"My friend said they look weird in there," Isaac added. "Do they really look like aliens?"

"Let me wash my hands before I meet these babies of yours," Sadie said. "Congrats, by the way. I don't remember if I told you that already."

"I don't either, but thanks," I said with a chuckle. "We haven't gotten a lot of sleep lately."

"Congrats, punk!" Seb said, pulling me into a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Thanks, jerk. You ready for this?"

"Nope - but I've got until June to get ready."

I led him over to the clear bassinet that stayed in the room with us. I'd set Lily in it when I'd heard the knock at the door.

"This is Lily Rose Evans."

She was wide awake for once, taking in all the noise going on around her and staring at the lights until she noticed Sebastian, who grinned at her delightedly. "Lily - you are simply adorable. Look at those blue eyes - are you gonna have your daddy's eyes or your mommy's?"

"I hope they stay blue," Megan said from the bed.

"You did good, Roşu," he said, going over and giving her a side hug and kissing her forehead when she tipped her face up to look at him. "You make pretty cute babies."

"Thanks," she said with a smile.

Megan turned her attention back to Levi, who looked like he'd fallen asleep, and Seb came over to take Lily from me. I gave Megan time to hand Levi off to Sadie and cover up before I went to let the boys in, telling them it was safe. Liam and Isaac came in slowly, taking off their coats and washing their hands first.

"Do you want to hold them?" I asked.

"Nope," Isaac said, coming over to look at the baby his mom was holding and taking his tiny hand in his. "I'm good. We're getting a baby sister of our own next summer and I'll hold her when she gets here."

I chuckled at his certainty he was getting a sister and his complete disinterest in all things baby related.

Isaac looked over at Megan curiously. "Can I see where they cut you open, Meg? Did you get staples again or stitches? How big of an incision was it?"

"Breathe, buddy," she said, rolling her eyes. "I've got both - staples on the outside and stitches on the inside. I can't show you today - it's all bandaged up right now - but I'll show you the next time I see you, okay?"

"Okay," he said easily, dropping the baby's hand and going to sit next to Seb on the couch. He stared at Lily for a bit before pulling out his phone and playing a game.

"Let me hold him, Mom," Liam said, holding his hands out for my son. "You don't get to hog him the whole time."

"You washed?" He nodded. "And used hand rub?" Liam reached over and hit the dispenser to get some gel in his hand, rolling his eyes as he rubbed it in. "Okay...fine. Sit down first," Sadie said, waiting until the teen was in a chair before handing over my baby. I loved seeing her being a mom - it wasn't something I got to see a lot of anymore now that the boys were older.

"Were we ever this little?" Liam asked as she went over to steal Lily from Seb and sat beside him, letting him put his arm around her.

"When you were still in my tummy, yes. By the time you were born, you were almost 2 pounds heavier than Levi is right now. Twins are usually a little smaller because they have to share everything."

"What if _you_ have twins this time, Mom?" Liam asked, giving his mom a look.

I chuckled at Seb's dumbfounded expression; I could tell the thought hadn't occurred to him yet. "Liam - you're going to give Seb a heart attack."

"Well, it's possible," Sadie said with a shrug - and Seb got even paler. "Isaac started as twins."

"I only want one sister," Isaac said, looking up from his game. "I already have a brother, Mom."

"That's not how things work!" Megan told him with an amused look.

 

*     *         *

Megan's POV

"Are you ready to go home, baby?" Chris asked me as he put his arms around me.

"Yeah," I sighed, looking around the hospital room to make sure I'd packed everything. "I'm so ready to sleep in our own bed without someone poking or prodding me every couple hours."

"I'm gonna take the last of this stuff down and then I'll be back up for you three," he said as a nurse knocked on the door.

"I have your discharge papers, Mrs Evans. There's just a few things we need to go over before we can finish things up."

"Go," I told him, waving him away when he gave me an uncertain look. "I've got this. We'll be right here when you get back."

* *

"We're home, baby," he said as we pulled into the drive of our Sudbury home.

I hit the garage door button so we could pull inside to unload. It had snowed while we were gone but thankfully someone had already cleared our walks and driveway. I saw Lisa's car and knew that she and my mom were already here to help us get settled in since I wasn't allowed to lift anything more than one of the babies at a time for at least the next couple weeks.

"And we're not leaving again for at least a couple days, right?" I asked, looking up at him tiredly. It felt like we'd been gone for weeks but in reality it had only been four days.

"Right. I told our moms we wanted some time to ourselves after we get unloaded."

"How'd that go over?"

"Surprisingly well," he said, giving me a grin.

"It'll be good for us all," I agreed as he parked and turned off the engine. "Not that I don't love our moms, but we need to figure out how do this on our own."

"I know, but I told Ma that we'll see them for dinner on Saturday when we pick up Dodger, if that's okay."

"That's okay with me," I said, carefully getting out of the vehicle. "We'll have to introduce Dodger to Levi and Lily eventually."

"How are you feeling?" Lisa asked, giving me a hug. "You look better today."

"Sore," I admitted. "I think I feel worse this time than I did last time."

"Well, last time you didn't have two babies pulled out of you," she pointed out.

"True. Just 10 pounds of grossness. I think I prefer the end result this time."

Lisa laughed and went to grab some bags from the back. We'd had a crazy amount of gifts sent to the hospital from our friends and family. This was just the last of them - we'd had to send the rest with Chris' mom and sisters because our hospital room was too full.

"We've started a thank-you list for you," my mom said when I got in the house. "All the cards are still with the bags so you can go through everything as you have time. No rush."

"Thanks, Mom," I said, giving her a hug. "We really appreciate it."

"I'm supposed to tell you that Chris' mom and sisters made up some meals for you two and put them in the freezers. I picked up a few groceries for you so you won't have to leave the house if you don't want to."  

"That's so great," Chris said, having heard the last bit as he walked past carrying both car seats. "Thanks Ma!" he said loud enough so she could hear him - and making the babies start crying.

"I didn't even think of that," I said, letting go of my mom and following her into the nursery. I was a little upset - I should have thought of that. I unbuckled Lily and took her out of her seat to calm her. "No shouting, Chris - you scared them."

"Sorry buddy," he said, picking up Levi. "Daddy didn't mean to scare you. Shhhh!"

"Now tell us what you need done while you take care of your babies, okay?"

 

   
*      *      *

New Year's Day, 2019  
Chris' POV

I looked down contentedly at my sleeping wife and kissed the top of her head. We were laying on the large comfortable couch with both babies in their little bouncy seats beside us, the TV on for some background noise as we all took a nap. I wasn't sure why I'd woken up, but I knew I wouldn't fall asleep again for a while.  

I'd never thought I'd finally have this - a family of my own. I'd wanted it for so long - _years_ - even before my first nephew was born. I knew things weren't going to be easy - adjusting to actually being a dad was gonna take a while, but that was okay; I had plenty of time. 

As soon as I'd learned Megan was pregnant, I'd started working on clearing up my calendar so I could be home with her and the kids for a couple months. Other than a newborn photo shoot Megan wanted and the Lexus commercial, I didn't have any major film commitments until fall.

It was a new year again, and I suddenly realized that in less than two weeks, it would be two years since I'd met Sadie and she'd saved my life on the streets of Munich. There wasn't a day that went by when I didn't thank my lucky stars for Sadie coming into my life when she did. Without her, I'd never have met Megan or become a father to these two beautiful babies. I'd probably still be living the single life - which I surprisingly didn't miss at all.

I smiled as Megan shifted in her sleep, rolling so she was laying on her belly on me, one hand resting on my heart. I covered her hand with my own, fixing the blanket so she was covered up again.

All I knew was that I couldn't wait to see what this new year and our life together as a family had in store for us.

 

***************************

A/N: So this is the end of _Not Without You [Chris Evans_ ]. Thanks so much for reading and commenting!

The last book of this series is still in progress but is now available to read on Wattpad :  _Falling for You [Tom Hiddleston]._

 


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